The year: 2007. The iPhone went on sale, Google Street View was launched, and the world was graced with amazing cars like the Pagani Zonda R, Nissan GT-R, and Lamborghini Reventón.
This would also be the year my photography journey began. Not with a camera, though, but with a Dualshock 2 controller and a copy of Gran Turismo 4 for the PlayStation 2.
While I enjoyed messing about in ‘Photo Mode,’ just capturing images of cars and not really thinking about the medium, my real interest in automotive photography came with the Forza Horizon series on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The scenic landscapes of Colorado and eventually the coasts of France and Italy were captured by my ‘lens,’ blurred as I sped by in iconic cars blasting perfectly curated soundtracks.
I gradually learned how different settings shaped the final image and how to turn my creative visions into presentable photos. I started following car photographers on Instagram to explore interesting compositions in-game, while also studying professional car shoots and looking to historic automotive photography for inspiration. My love and passion for cars and photography grew each time I loaded up the games to take photos, and started thinking about photography outside of the games as well. I even began sharing my photography online, feeling proud of my work, and striving to one day follow in the footsteps of the photographers I loved and idolized.
Every few years, the Horizon titles would visit new locales, travelling to Australia, Britain, and Mexico. Each new release added more cars to choose from, from everyday and sporty models to classics and exotics. It gave me more cars to drive and photograph without worrying about them being scratched or damaging expensive camera equipment.
I shifted how I played racing games. After each new title released, I spent time just driving around the maps, trying to scout out places to take photos, as a real photographer would. Urban streets, industrial areas, beaches and coasts, even some whimsical expansion locations like the Hot Wheels expansions, all inspired me with unique places to practice my craft and find my own style of photography.
There is a liberating sense of freedom in using games for photography. The ability to take photos that would be impossible or dangerous to replicate in real life can lead to some unique creations and expressions of self. To use a quote from electronic musician Giorgio Moroder: “Once you free your mind about a concept of […] being ‘correct’, you can do whatever you want.”
