Fallout 76: Community Spotlight: ZeroFoxFK

Fallout 76 is home to many gamers around the world, from casuals to min-maxers, Appalachia has welcomed all its new residents!

Some have taken their game to the next level, creating communities, intense C.A.M.P.s, exciting photography, art, and more. We’re highlighting some of these players in our Community Spotlight features. This month, we focus on ZeroFoxFK, a known photomode expert in the community.

ZeroFoxFK has been a fan of everything Fallout for many years, “This is the first Fallout game that's truly felt alive for me. I can wake up in the wasteland one day and I have no idea what I might encounter. Every person I meet is unique.”

We recently had the pleasure of talking to ZeroFoxFK about their virtual hobby. We learned of their achievement hunts, their experiences in game, and we even picked their brain for a few pro tips and tricks on virtual photography.

What or who got you into gaming?

ZeroFoxFK: Gaming has always been a part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are playing on my Dad's Commodore 64 and Atari and then later in life owning my own SEGA Master System. I later got a NES and then a friend of mine got a Super Nintendo and I remember being blown away by how much better it was. By the time the N64 came out I was going through quite a rough point in my life so it became a way to escape from everything around me into new and different worlds that were, at the time, very immersive.

What games do you like to play?

ZF: I like to play games where you make your own character and I especially like games with Photomode. It's actually become one of the main features I look for when buying a new game. Environments and Character designs are becoming so detailed now that it's possible to endlessly enjoy a game and create your own experiences.

Are you a lone wanderer or do you enjoy playing with others?

ZF: I can usually be found alone doing my own thing, posing and taking photos.
There are rare occasions when I'll bump into someone that recognizes me from Twitter and they will thumbs up and do the Photo Emote so we'll take some Photos and I'll post them.

Care to introduce us to your character and tell us a little bit about how you play?

ZF: I'm very fortunate enough to have created a character that's instantly recognizable and likeable, mostly due to the fact that she is often seen wearing antlers, but I like to think she has an infectious smile too. The antlers were a Limited Time Atomic Shop Item during the Festive period, but I decided they would work quite well as an everyday woodland accessory. I get asked what would happen when they become available again... would my character lose her identity? I don't think she would. She'd have a Herd.
Basically, I'm a Photomode Main when I play. I'm very disorganized and everything is geared towards getting the best shots.

What inspires the types of Photomode shots you take?

ZF: Most of the time I just log in and see what's going on around me, and then I just try to figure out what 'looks' good. When I first started playing Fallout76 I just used to point the Photomode camera and shoot, but the more I got into it the more I took notice of what actual Virtual Photographers were doing. Then I researched composition and other real-world photography guides. I'm always learning. The Fallout76 community inspires me a lot and raises the bar every day.

What is your favorite part about Photomode?

ZF: It's incredibly easy to use and it’s so versatile. After a busy day, I like to use it to unwind. There are so many options and my favorite out of all them is the depth of field.

How do you find the best photoshoot spots?

ZF: Lighting. It all comes down to that. Anywhere can look good with the right lighting. I personally like to choose places with lots of detail or with interesting things going on in the background.

Do you ever do photography meet-ups in game?

ZF: Yes, I’ve been to a few and I know they happen regularly. I main on the Xbox One X and that's where my screenshots come from, but I do also own Fallout76 on the PC. My PC isn't amazing, so it isn't ideal for screenshots, but I have been to a couple of meet-ups. I hope to get a PlayStation 4 Pro one day so I can join the PlayStation 76 Community too.

Meet-ups are brilliant because we always end up pretty much taking over the whole server. Lately some of the more talented members of the 76 Community have even been holding their own Events.

What tips do you have for players who are interested in Photomode?

ZF: Here are some of my big tips:

• If you can get good lighting then you can usually get a good photo.
• If you're getting too close to your character and they start to fade out, move the FOV Slider further to the left.
• I like to get the Field of View in really close and then bump up the Depth of Field for drama.
• Don’t be afraid to play with the poses. Sometimes they can tilt your characters head into a better light.

What are some of the changes that Wastelanders brought to 76 that impacted your photography?

ZF: The lighting, the updates to the locations and the fact that the Wasteland is now full of new people and things to photograph. I'm forever getting distracted because there is so much to discover and see.

What is your favorite experience you’ve had in Wastelanders so far?

ZF: Literally just exploring with all the HUD elements disabled. I like to immerse myself and see where the roads take me. It doesn't take long until I bump into a friendly Settler, a Scavenger searching nearby or something else completely unexpected.

Do you have a favorite character?

ZF: So far its Ra-Ra. Children were a completely unexpected addition to Fallout76 and I really like her design.

Who did you side with? Raiders or Settlers?

ZF: I think at heart my character is one of the guys but... the Raiders are so interesting and live in that big Crashed Spaceship thing! They have cool nicknames and call me 'Seven-Six'. Yeah Raiders.

...unless I can be a Cultist.

Where can readers find your in-game photography?

ZF: Best place to see my content is on Twitter.

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Thank you so much to ZeroFoxFK for taking the time to chat with us!
Want to nominate someone for our next Player spotlight? Post their story (or your own) on our forums here.