# Virtual War Correspondent Photographs A Player Takes Stunning Grand Theft Auto Photography By Mesel Isaac | Published 2014-02-23 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grand-theft-auto-photography References: [twistedsifter](http://twistedsifter.com/2014/01/guy-plays-gta-online-as-war-photographer-photojournalist/) & [reddit](http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1vifbs/i_started_playing_gta_online_in_passive_mode_as_a/) While most people are playing in Grand Theft Auto V’s online mode as gun-happy gang members (the way it’s meant to be played), [Reddit](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/startupsonar) user cy_sperling instead plays in passive mode and takes Grand Theft Auto photography, pretending to be a [combat photographer](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-shooting). The photos in his Grand Theft Auto photography series make the fictional city of Los Santos appear as if it were a war-torn, third-world country. In order to capture these photos, cy_sperling used the in-game camera phone, wore a vest that said ‘MEDIA’ on it and drove whenever he could in the games fictional news network van. For the most part cy_sperling says that people understood what he was trying to do and would let him get up close. However, he says there would always be one guy who would try to run him over. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.4/10 - Popularity: 55% | Activity: 40% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Virtual Photography:** Exploring the art of photography within virtual worlds like Grand Theft Auto V, showcasing the potential for creativity and storytelling. - **Immersive Gaming Experiences:** Utilizing passive gameplay modes within popular video games to create unique and immersive experiences beyond traditional objectives. - **Simulated Journalism:** Blurring the lines between reality and virtuality by adopting the role of a war correspondent within fictional game worlds, highlighting the potential for interactive storytelling. ### Who This Affects Most - **Gaming:** Exploring opportunities to incorporate virtual photography as a distinct form of art within video game platforms, providing players with enhanced creative outlets and experiences. - **Virtual Reality:** Leveraging immersive gaming experiences within virtual reality platforms to offer users unique, narrative-driven gameplay environments that go beyond traditional objectives. - **Media and Journalism:** Exploring possibilities for simulated journalism within virtual worlds to engage audiences in interactive storytelling experiences, blurring the lines between real and fictional news reporting. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Lifelike FPS Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unrecord.md) - [In-Game Photography Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/minecraft-photo-mode.md) - [Video Game-Inspired Vehicle Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mg-maze.md) - [Photographer-Collab Card Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/artiste-series.md) - [Video Game-Like Sports Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/milano-vision-gt.md) - [Dramatic Doomsday Bunker Images](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alastair-philip-wiper.md) - [Journalist-Focused Short Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-shooting.md) - [Next-Gen Crime Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grand-theft-auto-vi.md) - [Branded Action Camera Go-Karts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gopro-gokart.md)