Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 1K Celebration

Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program.

Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community.

This theme has been run by the TOWCB Virtual Photography team. We wanted to celebrate reaching 1K members in our Twitter VP Community. This has been a joy to watch as we have grown over the years. Thanks to Ubisoft we were able to mark the occasion with a VP contest. We have been monitoring the hashtags and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots.    

This time we will be putting the spotlight on the winners and allowing them to tell us a bit about themselves and their wonderful captures.

Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured.

Theme: Assassin’s Creed VP Community Celebration

1st - Ship of the Desert

Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins

VP Artist: @saskiaemmischVP

I am Saskia, 28 years old, and I’ve been doing virtual photography as a hobby for about 2 years. I got into this pastime because I always loved the worlds and designs of video games and wanted to capture them. At some point I started posting my pictures, which is why social media and virtual photography also became a hobby. Since then, I’ve nurtured and cultivated my passion for it and put a lot of effort, work, and creativity into my VP.

I came up with the picture itself because I love silhouettes. I happened to find this cave in Assassin’s Creed Origins and placed my camel in such a way. I then adjusted the photo mode settings so that this silhouette effect with the great colours was created. I thought the idea of a slight reflection in the water was very nice. My pictures are usually created spontaneously in the game, and that’s also the most fun. I hope that I can soon inspire this community with my VP from Assassin’s Creed Mirage.

Aaron

Saskia is a worthy winner of this competition with this beautiful shot from Assassin’s Creed Origins. I really love the minimalist approach with the reflection on the water. The blackout framing works perfectly and compliments the rich warm orange of the cave. This is an exceptional capture, and I can’t wait to see what Saskia can do in Mirage.

2nd - Longship

Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

VP Artist: @playpausephoto

Imagine being a Viking far from land with nothing to see but the vast sea. All you hear are the crashing waves, the creaking sound of the oars and the wind tugging at the sails. The longship must feel so small, and the dark waters so endless. This is the feeling I tried to capture in this photo. I used a strong contrast between light and dark and a minimalistic composition to create a sense of isolation.

I am truly honoured to be selected as one of the winners. It was my friends at TOWCB that introduced me to the games and the support from the AC community has been amazing from day one.

Aaron

A striking piece of virtual photography from Malin. I love the contrast and how it makes the wood on the ship pop. For me it is ingenious to split the shot down the middle of the longship, allowing us to only see half of the crew. There is a real isolating feel to this capture that fits with the narrative of long voyages to new lands. Assassin’s Creed often lends itself to minimal VP so I am very excited to see what Malin can capture in AC Mirage.

3rd - The Light

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @Yumejin

Taking photos in video games has been an attraction to me since I was very young. The thought of seeing your favourite character in action and pausing the game just to enjoy the smallest details and immortalizing them all in a photo, seemed so appealing and interesting to me. Through time, as video games got more and more advanced, so did the technique of taking photos in them. The winning photo was taken by me just after I started going more in depth and taking virtual photography more seriously. Through learning different techniques of composition and how to take advantage of lighting and colours, I managed to capture a part of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey that is so visually pleasing and immediately sends you to Greece.

Throughout my journey as a VP, I encountered so many talented people, and I also got so much encouragement, the AC community being one of the many cases in which everyone is very friendly and always supportive towards all the photos. I also see such a huge plethora of people who make amazing shots and play such different games, and it makes me realise that this whole VP community is great because it celebrates the universe of gaming and the beauty of exploring every frame to get the best photos. A worthy third place.

Aaron

What is so spectacular about this capture is the shadow work. I adore how the roof section is completely dark creating a frame around the photo. The pillars and meshing on the left really grab the attention as they leave varying shadows on the beautiful flooring. The shot really shows the wonders of Ubisoft’s attention to detail when creating these worlds.  

4th – Setting of the Sun

Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins

VP Artist: @astroghost001

I took this shot in Assassin’s Creed Origins by using a trainer to change the time of day, this allowed me to get the sun into an interesting position. I then used camera tools to get this extreme angle where it looks like the sun is rolling down the slope. I waited for Bayek to call Senu and that’s how I took the shot. In Lightroom I changed the colour from orange to purple just because I like exotic colours, and I already had a lot of sunset/amber shots.

As a virtual photographer I like to try different styles and experiment a lot, every month I try to do a new style, also I love to work with colours to achieve a vibrant feel.

Aaron

What a breathtaking capture this is. The silhouette of Bayek with Senu on his arm is exceptional and the sunset mesmerising. I love how AstroGhost has experimented with the colours to produce something so unique and captivating. The line down the centre from the sand dunes really adds a new dimension parting the colours beautifully.

5th - Flowering

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @NovA1990

I hadn’t initially planned to capture this shot. I was photographing Kass, but I wasn’t satisfied with the results. So, I decided to take a break and explore the surroundings using the camera mode. That’s when I noticed the curve of the cherry tree branch, framing the birds flying by. After some careful adjustments, I managed to align the photo just right. I then did all the normal editing in Lightroom Classic and finished by adding blur to the birds.

Aaron

Sometimes amongst all the chaos you need a little serenity. Nova has definitely found that with this exquisite shot of a cherry tree. The vibrant colours of the petals have such a calming effect and the birds in the background are wonderfully placed. At first glance they almost look like petals blowing off the tree. This is a beautiful photograph, worthy of its place in this article.

6th – Shooting Star

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: Couch_Gamer2k23

To introduce myself I go by Couch_Gamer in the community, an avid lover of video games and someone who fell in love with virtual photography through the community. Until last year I had no idea what a photo mode was and as soon as I was introduced to it through the community, it made me realise you can appreciate a game more through it.

About this shot, I was playing Mirage one night and I found out when you look at the sky during the night time you can see shooting stars and from my childhood, I heard stories from my grandparents that a shooting star when passing through, grants you a wish. So, I too decided to take a shot when the shooting star appeared on the screen. Took me a few tries but I was able to capture it.

I admire the TOWCB community of Assassin’s Creed a lot for appreciating newcomers like me and giving a platform to showcase or participate in these types of events. They have been doing it for 10 years and I wish them all the best for next 10 years.

Aaron

This is such a tranquil shot that almost captures the essence of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Basim's story. I love the black and white as it serves to promote the beauty of the starry night. Obviously, the shooting star is a fabulous addition, but so too is the composition with just enough white sand appearing at the bottom. I think having Basim stand with his back to us in white robes gazing into the night sky is a kind of insightful moment.

7th – Tomb Raider

Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins

VP Artist: @BetweenDPixels

Origins was my first Assassin’s Creed game, and Bayek is my favourite character from the games so far. Exploring these worlds is amazing and finding likeminded fans in the AC community has made it better. I can’t wait to keep exploring through my Assassin’s journey to see what other adventures and characters await. Not to mention the photo mode opportunities I already know to expect. Thank you for all the support.

Aaron

For me this is Assassin’s Creed Origins. There were so many promotional captures of Bayek walking with a torch in a tomb. The framing is excellent with the foundations of the pyramid surrounding Bayek. I really like how one lantern is aflame, and the other isn’t but compensated by the torch in his hand. The warm colours of the desert shine through with Bayek’s face covered in shadows but encompassed by the classic white hood. A contrast of a man who has gone through a crucible.

8th – Spiralling

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @BreizhThe

“On the heights with eternal geometric shapes…. we perpetuate our credo from generation to generation”

My name is TheBreizhGamer I have been passionate about virtual photography for around 10 years. I appreciate the world of Assassin’s Creed for all the historical settings that the saga takes us through. Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey, although criticised enough, are my favourite AC.

I salute here all the talented artists who have been selected and it is an honour to be part of them. A big thank you to the entire TOWCB team.

Aaron

A feast for the eyes is what springs to mind when I think of this shot. The dazzling tiles of that incredible roof really capture the attention. I find myself almost mesmerised by them. I do like the little triangle at the top and the white point with Kassandra atop of it. These little details help take you away from the stunning backdrop.  

9th – Warrior

Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins

VP Artist: @Tigas_VP

Assassin’s Creed Origins marked my return to the saga, unfortunately I hadn’t played the series since Assassin’s Creed 2. I love the game and the fact that it takes place in Egypt, combining this with my passion for virtual photography was incredible.

Aaron

Tigas is one of my favourite Assassin’s Creed Origins photographers, this is mostly due to the cinematic effect of the shots. I adore how intense this capture is with Kensa staring us down from behind the shield. I do like the sparks and the mist just behind her as it adds to the atmosphere. She is a fierce gladiator, and I think Tigas portrays that with this shot.

10th – Field of Reeds

Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

VP Artist: @thefrostysm 

My name is Frosty, and I’ve been a part of the VP community for approximately 9 months now. One of my all-time favourite games series is Assassin’s Creed. I wasn’t old enough to play the first few games, so I started with Assassin’s Creed 3. That game was so impactful for me in so many ways that it has solidified itself as one of my favourite games of all time. I’ve played every AC since and don’t plan on stopping any time soon.

Regarding my shot, this is from AC Valhalla and my focus was to show the peaceful, mindful side of Eivor. With so much rage, violence, and pressure as a new Viking King, I imagine what he would do to gather himself and his thoughts. A stroll through a seemingly endless field of roses seemed perfect to me. Thanks again for the selection, it really means a lot.

Aaron

Every time I see a shot like this I think of Gladiator, how could you not. Although not reeds this time, these awesome plants really make the capture with their red and white contrast. There is a huge element of reflection to this shot with Eivor walking away from the camera. I feel like it would fit as a scene following one of the tragic moments of the game. Having black and white with a colour splash really heightens a piece of VP and that is evident here.

And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list!

Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in!