Justin Reeve's Steampunk Architecture Photography in Dishonored
Justin Reeve, an archaeologist specializing in ancient architecture and a columnist for Unwinnable and news editor for TheGamer, creates documentary-style in-game photography within the steampunk world of Dishonored by Arkane Studios (now part of Microsoft after its acquisition of ZeniMax Media). Unlike artistic reinterpretations, Reeve's work aims to document game levels meticulously, capturing thousands of images during exploration and curating them around architectural themes such as rooftops, alleys, and corridors. He uses only in-game tools, never mods, and freely distributes his images for use in articles, wikis, and artistic projects. His series for Artribune focuses on the overlooked yet remarkable aspects of Dishonored's levels, emphasizing the game's stealth mechanics through cold, empty spaces that bear traces of absent inhabitants—a result of the characters he has killed hidden behind him. The interview was conducted by Matteo Lupetti.
Key facts
- Justin Reeve is an archaeologist specializing in ancient architecture, particularly the Near East and Egypt.
- He works as a columnist for Unwinnable and news editor for TheGamer.
- Reeve practices documentary-style in-game photography within the steampunk world of Dishonored.
- He uses only what is included in the game, never mods, and disables HUD or moves the character out of frame.
- His images are freely distributed for use in articles, wikis, and artistic projects.
- The series for Artribune covers rooftops, alleys, and corridors of Dishonored.
- The images are cold and empty, reflecting the stealth nature of the game and the absence of people.
- Dishonored was developed by Arkane Studios, now part of Microsoft after acquiring ZeniMax Media.
Entities
Artists
- Justin Reeve
- Matteo Lupetti
Institutions
- Arkane Studios
- Microsoft
- ZeniMax Media
- Unwinnable
- TheGamer
- Artribune
Locations
- Mexico
- Japan
- Egypt
- Near East