Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 1st to 30th June

Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program.

Every four weeks we will be picking our top five favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community.

This special Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced launch theme has been run alongside @Assassins_UK the official account for the United Kingdom. Ubisoft are one of the leading publishers and developers in the gaming industry, most famous for their compelling Assassin’s Creed series. We would like to thank the team for agreeing to collaborate with TOWCB on this unique opportunity. We are very grateful that you took the time to pick this wonderful selection of photos for us.

Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured.

Theme: Seafaring

Sunset

Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows

VP Artist: @_damen312

The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme

Judge: @Assassins_UK

Assassin’s Creed UK Team

We loved how this shot embraced the seafaring theme. The towering ship, the sunset and the silhouetted character create a real sense of impending adventure, making it a standout entry. Plus, who doesn’t love a good sunset?

Aaron

I knew that a seafaring theme would stir up the creative minds of this wonderful virtual photography community. The recent Assassin’s Creed entries have given us ample opportunities to both explore and capture the seas/oceans of the world. For me this photo caught the eye thanks to the striking silhouettes of both Naoe and the ship. The composition is very nice with the sun low and framed, creating a reflective mood, one you would often see used to end a scene. The warm tones make this capture calming to look at, and I like how the sun is breaking the darkness around it. The ship is so reminiscent of Black Flag, it’s clear this shot is a worthy winner.

Take Off

Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins

VP Artist: @dpruttz_vp

The open waters of Assassin’s Creed Origins were our first taste of the RPG style of exploration. This would later become the foundations of what Odyssey, and many others have since built upon. I remember being in awe of the scenery as you sailed around Ancient Egypt in search of the Order. This capture from Dave is a real beauty, showcasing the magnificent coastal environments from Origins. I really like the pastel colours and the strong hint of red in the sail, both marrying together to create a striking photo. This feels like perfect minimal capture, albeit the flock of birds occupying the skies. I adore the backdrop especially the clouds and the mountain ranges, a truly breath-taking capture.

Under the Sea

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @JLunarTraveler

I said it many times before, but Ubisoft’s world building is up there with the very best. One element in which I have been particularly impress is the water graphics. These have been getting more realistic each new release. The way the water moves and the SeaLife that often accompanies it is visually stunning. I felt that this capture perfectly sums up my view with its captivating composition. Looking at this photo I feel as if I have fallen overboard and am struggling to stay afloat. The DoF works brilliantly to showcase the waters realism whist also blurring the colourful ship masts in the distance. Once again there is a cleaver use of minimalism, especially through colour, which makes this photo pleasing on the eye.  

Riding the Waves

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @charapof.bsky.social

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey expands on the navel gameplay from Origins by adding upgrades to your ship, recruitable crew members and looting enemy ships. All of these are throwbacks the much-loved navel gameplay from Assassin’s Creed Black Flag. I am always a fan of compositions such as this; the perspective really invigorates that sense of being on the water. The details of the sea remind me of times aboard the Jackdaw and that sail with the mighty Zeus and his lighting bolt, extremely relevant. It’s often the smaller aspects that I respect when scouring virtual photography and this capture has them in abundance.

Sail Away

Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows

VP Artist: @PhotoModeColin

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was the first true next gen title from this outstanding series. The Ubisoft Anvil engine brought impressive illumination, dynamic weather and seasons to  further enhance Feudal Japan. This foundation is what Black Flag will be model on and that really excites as the game already looks magnificent. Here we have sailor Naoe as she navigates the waters of Japan. The fog and the blue hues give this shot a cold feel. The silhouette of the boat and Naoe are perfectly executed, loving the hair waving in the wind. I feel this photo really emphasises the often-peaceful moments out on the water.

Peaceful

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: @thwippip

As it’s a celebratory theme to commemorate the launch of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, we thought a special mention was in order. What better way than to return to the beautiful city of Baghdad, where Basim found his calling as a Hidden One. I love the calming nature of this capture, presented so well through Basim slowly navigating the quieter waters of a vibrant city. The shadow work on display is harping back to Roshan’s teachings of entering the light/returning to the dark. I think the buildings to the right look splendid with their golden hue and that absorbing fog hanging over them.

And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list!

Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in!