And… We’re back! I’m so happy to be able to post interviews again for They Make Games. Today, I have the honor to ask questions to Ludovic Helme, also known as Shinobi, an incredible and talented Virtual Photographer.
Funny story is, Ludovic and I started chatting years ago but for a different matter. Not video games, but Japan. At that time, I was going to start an internship in Tokyo and I wanted to write about my journey and the beautiful places I would be able to visit. Ludovic was definitely my main inspiration has he was still writing at that time, with a style that was moving enough to make me want to do the same.
Today though, we will talk about video games and how he transfered his passion for photography into virtual worlds!
So happy to have you here, Ludo! Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi! Of course! I am 43 years old, I am French but I have been living in Japan for 13 years now. I am a French teacher for foreigners and I’ve been passionate about virtual photography for a few years now!
What are the things you like most about virtual photography?
It’s a mix of several factors I think. First of all, I love video games, of course, and traditional photography. Mixing the two has always seemed natural to me, and even more so now that games offer photo modes. What excites me most about virtual photography is the superposition of game developers’ creativity with mine. Using their worlds as my own creative terrain. Photographing games also allows you to examine the game from all its angles, and in all its details. Very often, the relationship that arises between us and the developers is unique because they re-discover their game thanks to us. I love this relationship passionately.
How did you end up working as a Photo Mode Consultant?
Actually, I simply offered a studio (Cold Symmetry) my help on their photo mode project… And they accepted. When I understood the impact that my knowledge of the subject could have on certain games, I began to consider replicating the experience with more studios, and I am lucky to have found open doors on several occasions.
Johanna: This is a good learning! If you feel like you know a lot about something, send emails, be bold and who knows. It may offer you great opportunities to turn your passion into real career opportunities.
What are your main missions when working with gaming companies?
I am here to propose features, test the different versions developed, give my opinion on them and suggest changes. It’s also a lot of teaching to explain and “sell” this or that feature for the photo mode, which does not always seem justified for non-photographers but essential for us, such as a long camera range, etc. I only advise, I cannot impose anything, but I believe I am quite effective when it comes to convincing and explaining, surely thanks to my job as a teacher.
Do you encounter challenges when working with the tools given to you?
Not really. Not being there to code or develop anything, I have already functional tools in hand, and I just have to find problems and propose solutions. The biggest challenge is, as I said above, to convince of the importance of a feature that seems to go against the nature of the game itself, or that risks creating complicated technical issues for development teams to resolve.
What advice would you give to developers for making a functional photo mode?
Well, call me, or at least watch my videos on YouTube which explain a lot of things haha! And more seriously, ask yourself the right questions: which photo modes are loved by photographers, and why? How can we improve them and make them our own in our game? And above all, do a lot more tests, or entrust experienced virtual photographers who will be able to identify the problems in 1 minute. When you use a photo mode throughout your day, you have to do minor actions 100 times and if this action requires 4 clicks instead of just one, a developer could easily miss it.
We must constantly remind ourselves that photo mode is another game mode. It is almost another game entirely, with different objectives, and different gameplay. This requires a different way of thinking, and to offer the best possible experience, you must always have this in mind.
Are there specific projects you really enjoyed working on?
I love all the projects, I am always extremely happy to be able to participate, on whatever scale, in the development of a photo mode, and by extension, in the development of virtual photography as such. Obviously the few projects that result in real change happening, or having my name in the credits, are the projects I’m most proud of, but I’m very honored by all the discussions I have behind the scenes with great names in video games and great professionals whom I respect enormously. I am also very proud to have been published in an official game artbook (Steelrising).
Johanna: Congrats that’s actually awesome! I’ve seen your work being shared a lot on Lords of the Fallen when I was working for Hexworks. It must feel like a dream to have your work recognized by entire teams and communities!
How did you bring your love for traditional photography into the virtual world?
It came naturally I think. Having a background in Visual Arts (Master’s Degree), I have always been passionate about images and composition. I think it was my love for painting that led me to my love of cinema, which led me to my love of photography… Then all that crept into my hobbies. Video games were therefore on the front line to become a field of exploration.
Do you have special tips to stay creative?
Yes! I even made a video of it! Work on your curiosity. Look at a lot of works, not just photographic, to educate yourself in some way. Try to think a little further than the first idea, push back a notch each time you think you have something. And of course actively observe. Trying to understand “how” and “why” an image is constructed, and applying that in your own work.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you’re not yet a virtual photographer, I highly encourage you to open a photo mode in a game you like, and start having fun with it. It’s a safe bet that you’ll be hooked in no time! Share your works with the developers, they will be happy!
I hope that virtual photography and its passionate and loving community, which has experienced an explosion in popularity in recent years, continues to grow, develop, and gain the love and respect of more and more people. Welcome!
Ludovic Helme (Shinobi) – Virtual Photographer
Twitter / Website
Thank you so much for your time Ludo! Happy to be back with such an awesome interview. I hope you all enjoyed learning more about his work as a Virtual Photographer, and that it may have sparked something into some of you. Next article will be shared with you in two weeks, stay tuned!
