quote:

Smith was playing Grand Theft Auto V, and the photo he snapped was taken with his character's smartphone. GTA V is unusual among games in that it presents its players with all of the limitations of real photography, transplanted onto the virtual space. You can't take a photo of something unless your character can see it, and you can only shoot from positions and angles that he or she can reach. You're restricted by the capabilities of your run-of-the-mill virtual smartphone, which comes equipped with basic zooming and Instagram-like filters, and by the physical abilities of your avatar.

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Future games may even include virtual DSLR cameras complete with aperture and depth of field control as well as manual focus, zoom, exposure adjustment, and flash — all the essential tools of a modern photographer. Would virtual photography then be a valid form of photography? Smith is excited to see how both sides of the debate deal with these sorts of technological advancements.