Today we start off our series of community member interviews with PikaPod. A very talented 2077 virtual photography artist who clearly is a Goro simp 
All kidding aside she was kind enough to answer our burning questions about her craft, herself and the game we all enjoy. You can see some of her images at the end. Check it out below and give her a follow on the socials.
First can you tell us a little about yourself, where you grew up and what attracted or inspired you to get into this art form?
Hi! Thanks for having me! I grew up in the Pacific Northwest but now live in the UK. I’ve always loved photography in real life and have been taking game photos for years but never knew what to do with them. With
photomode now becoming more prevalent in games, instead of screenshots of scenery or cut scenes, I’m now able to explore and take shots of what I want, how I want. That freedom has made all the difference. What pushed me to go further with it and share would have to be the pandemic. Since I couldn’t go out and take pictures, I did it in Cyberpunk 2077.
How did you learn this form of digital art?
A lot of trial and error :)
What drew you to cyberpunk 2077 or/and the cyberpunk genre as a whole?
For as long as I can remember I’ve been into the cyberpunk genre. There’s just something about the grittiness and juxtaposition of this type of dystopian future that I find fascinating. That and the aesthetic. What can I say? I love neon and avant-
garde design. Cyberpunk 2077 became an escape during the pandemic. Wandering the streets and discovering the little hidden details helped me get out of my head and taking photos became a creative outlet.
What message, to you, does the cyberpunk genre imply or relay to you as a viewer, fan of that aesthetic?
Be careful what you wish for. With the highest in technical and scientific achievement, there is a cost. But there is that hope, as well, that things could be better. That we could be better.
What drew you to the 2077 game specifically? What keeps driving you to keep making content for it?
The moment I watched the trailer for it back in 2012 I was hooked. Then when I saw more gameplay as it was released, I knew I wanted to dive into the world and the story. I started off taking photos of the stunning scenery, fashion, and
cutscenes because I’d become so attached to the characters in the game. The city is just so beautiful and the possibilities are endless, so now, I’m creating my own characters and stories about their adventures in Night City.
What tools do you use to make your art? How long does it take to go from idea to posting a pic?
Cyber Engine Tweaks, Appearance Menu Mod are the main ones, of course. Then I use a variety of others to help change clothes, organize saves, and quickly edit characters. To edit the photos, I use Photoshop and
Snapseed. I can take weeks to plan out a set of photos or I’ll be inspired by a mod, but most of the time it just happens as I’m playing. The funny thing is, the ones that are more spontaneous are usually the ones I (and followers) like best.
How long have you been doing this art form?
Quite a long time. I can’t quite put my finger on when exactly I started. All I know is, if I saw something I thought was pretty or cool, I’d take a photo.
And my most controversial question... Which of the following labels would you assign to whom? ;)
Marry, BFF, FWB (friend with benefits), Hate, Kill
Johnny,Judy, Kerry, Panam, River.
First of all, why is
Takemura not on the list? :P But if I’d have to choose…
Marry – River/Judy
BFF – Johnny/
Panam
FWB – Kerry
Hate – I can’t bring myself to hate any of them
Kill – And I definitely wouldn’t kill any of them either
And finally what are the socials people can find you, and do you do commissions? Thank you for your time!
You can find me on:
Twitter:
@pika_pod
Instagram:
@pika.pod
I’m sure I can be convinced to do a commission :)
And you’re very welcome! It’s been a pleasure!