By Ben Mapp
Ashley Gilbertson is a war photographer based in New York whose work has seen him travel into the harsh battle zones of Iraq between 2002 to 2008, who currently works for Time Magazine. He was tasked with playing through The Last of Us Remastered for the PlayStation 4, utilising the game's new photo-taking mechanic with the objective of capturing the protagonists, Joel and Ellie, as they meander through the ruins of North America in a post-apocalyptic vision of the future.
Ashley Gilbertson is a war photographer based in New York whose work has seen him travel into the harsh battle zones of Iraq between 2002 to 2008, who currently works for Time Magazine. He was tasked with playing through The Last of Us Remastered for the PlayStation 4, utilising the game's new photo-taking mechanic with the objective of capturing the protagonists, Joel and Ellie, as they meander through the ruins of North America in a post-apocalyptic vision of the future.
Courtesy of Time Magazine The Last of Us Remastered was released in July as an updated version of the exclusive PlayStation 3 title, featuring a couple of survivors who must battle across the fallen cities of North America in order to escape the majority of the human population, who have become 'infected' in the twenty years since the worldwide collapse of society.
In this article (where you can view all fifteen images) for Time Magazine, Gilbertson describes navigating the maps of The Last of Us firstly through the eyes of a non-gamer, spending time in each area taking countless pictures until he takes the 'perfect' shot, thus adhering to the standard he was familiar with during his time in Iraq. However he soon realises that being a gamer can be a tough and defamiliarising experience, with little time to attune oneself to the violence and visceral action of a modern-day title. As a consequence, he found it so immersive that it became immediately unsettling. Needing help with the project, Gilbertson recruited a friend to deal with the combat and give him the time and space required to capture perfect moments in time. However, Gilbertson goes on to note that 'None of the game’s characters show distress, and that to me was bizarre – it’s a post apocalyptic scenario, with a few remaining humans fighting for the survival of their race! To be successful, a player must be the perpetrator of extreme, and highly graphic, violence. I’m interested in a more emotionally engaged type of photography, where the human reaction to a scene is what brings a story to life. That was tough inside this game. Occasionally the characters show anger, though generally they’re nonchalant about the situation they’ve found themselves in. In the end, their emotions mimicked that of the zombies they were killing.'
Gilbertson's online portfolio can be viewed fully here, along with further information regarding his prestigious career.
In this article (where you can view all fifteen images) for Time Magazine, Gilbertson describes navigating the maps of The Last of Us firstly through the eyes of a non-gamer, spending time in each area taking countless pictures until he takes the 'perfect' shot, thus adhering to the standard he was familiar with during his time in Iraq. However he soon realises that being a gamer can be a tough and defamiliarising experience, with little time to attune oneself to the violence and visceral action of a modern-day title. As a consequence, he found it so immersive that it became immediately unsettling. Needing help with the project, Gilbertson recruited a friend to deal with the combat and give him the time and space required to capture perfect moments in time. However, Gilbertson goes on to note that 'None of the game’s characters show distress, and that to me was bizarre – it’s a post apocalyptic scenario, with a few remaining humans fighting for the survival of their race! To be successful, a player must be the perpetrator of extreme, and highly graphic, violence. I’m interested in a more emotionally engaged type of photography, where the human reaction to a scene is what brings a story to life. That was tough inside this game. Occasionally the characters show anger, though generally they’re nonchalant about the situation they’ve found themselves in. In the end, their emotions mimicked that of the zombies they were killing.'
Gilbertson's online portfolio can be viewed fully here, along with further information regarding his prestigious career.
'Swear to me that everything you took a picture of was real!'
As the video game industry continues to spread out, more and more journalists will be drawn its way. Did you find Gilbertson's adventure into The Last of Us enthralling, or simply curious? Here at IWG we are always interested in what the reactions of non-gamers, particularly those with passions such as Gilbertson's, are to our most loved titles.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter. We'd love to hear from you!
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter. We'd love to hear from you!
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