The Virtual Photography Awards Celebrate the Best in-Game Captures

Matt Growcoot
A reflection of a person holding a gun appears on a car window next to a hairless cat inside. On the right, a high, narrow wooden bridge stretches over a valley with greenery and cliffs.
Hary G (Cyberpunk 2077), left, Yigit Karakulak (Red Dead Redemption 2), right.

The winners of The Virtual Photography Awards for 2025 have been announced, recognizing the most outstanding images captured through in-game photography by digital artists around the globe.

After over 3,000 entries — captured in more than 330 games — were submitted across seven thematic categories, the winners were chosen by an experienced judging panel of game industry professionals, real-world photographers, and digital capture artists.

The overall winner, taking home the title of Virtual Photographer of the Year, is Harry G (Hary1495g), who took virtual photographs in games including Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Ghost of Tsushima.

A hand parts red blinds while a person with bright lipstick and a cigarette peers through the gap, their face partially hidden in shadow. Bold red lighting creates a dramatic, mysterious mood.
Virtual Photographer of the Year Hary G.
A lone warrior in a flowing cape faces a massive, menacing dragon with glowing orange eyes and fiery cracks on its body, as flames erupt from its arm in a dramatic, smoky battlefield.
Hary G shot across multiple game titles.
A person wearing a hat and coat stands among tall, leafless trees in a dense, foggy forest. The scene is in black and white, creating a mysterious and moody atmosphere.
Ghost of Tsushima
Silhouette of a woman with long hair blowing in the wind, set against a vibrant sunset sky with blue, orange, and yellow hues.
Hary G
A Sphynx cat sits inside a car, while the reflection on the window shows a person pointing a gun toward the animal. The scene is tinted with a warm, golden light.
Hary G also won the Storytelling category. Shot in Cyberpunk 2077 on PC.
A shadow of a tree with spreading branches appears on a wall, blending with the shadow of a person standing so that the tree’s trunk and branches seem to grow from the person's head and shoulders.
Hary G also won the Open category with this image, also shot in Cyberpunk 2077 on PC.

“Through the commanding use of subjects, lighting, and shadows, these meticulously crafted images deliver consistently evocative visual storytelling across a wide range of scenarios,” The Virtual Photography Awards writes of the winners.

“Judges praised the originality and execution behind each creative concept, noting how the work stood out on both technical and emotional levels.”

Category Winners

A shadow of a skateboarder performing a trick on a brown ramp, with part of a person’s shoe and patterned seat visible in the lower right corner.
Winner of the Action category. Shot in Session Skate Sim on the PS5. | _Virtualtourism
A surreal black and white image divided into three panels: the top shows a vintage clock on a post, the middle shows a barren tree with a bird flying, and the bottom shows a noose hanging in a desolate landscape with a distant figure.
Winner of the Collection category. A vertical triptych shot in Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC. | Maksim Plotnikov
A dramatic, narrow wooden bridge with missing planks stretches steeply over a river, surrounded by cliffs and green trees, viewed from above in warm, golden light.
Winner of the Environment category. Shot in Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC, inspired by the work of Aydin Buyuktas, the artist spent 12 hours scouting for the perfect location. He later manually stitched and aligned 11 different frames in Photoshop. | Yigit Karakulak
A blurry, dimly lit train station platform with a red car on the left and a silhouetted person walking toward a bright, modern structure in the background. The atmosphere is moody and futuristic.
Winner of the Lo-Fi category. Shot in Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5. | Oscar Lundin
A close-up, grayscale image of two people's faces, nearly touching, with focus on their noses and lips. The mood appears intimate and emotional.
Winner of the People category Shot in Horizon Forbidden West on PS5. | Hajer Haj

For more, head to The Virtual Photography Awards’ website.

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