Emanuele Bresciani on Virtual Photography in Ghost of Tsushima

Emanuele Bresciani (Bergamo, 1969) discusses his virtual photography practice within the video game Ghost of Tsushima by Sucker Punch Productions and Sony Interactive Entertainment. He began in-game photography in 2009 on the NeoGAF forum, where user Duncan Harris established the three core rules of virtual photography: free camera, no on-screen indicators, and no cutscenes. Bresciani shoots exclusively on PlayStation or Xbox consoles using built-in photo modes, with minimal post-production adjustments. In 2020, he exhibited at the Museo d’arte contemporanea di Luzzana – Donazione Meli, achieving Italy's first classification of virtual photography as 'ready-made' art. His Ghost of Tsushima project depicts virtual characters in a medieval Japan setting, emulating the style of 19th-century photographers Felice Beato and Adolfo Farsari. Bresciani distinguishes two paths for virtual photography: a mainstream community driven by game companies for marketing, and a smaller group seeking institutional recognition. He credits Neoludica (Luca Traini and Debora Ferrari), Ubisoft Italia, and Sony Italia for supporting the latter.