Forza Horizon 6’s version of Japan is gorgeous.
Whether you’re blasting through neon-lit city streets, drifting around mountain passes, or simply admiring your latest automotive purchase, there are countless moments that deserve more than a quick screenshot. Fortunately, the game’s Photo Mode is surprisingly powerful, giving players all the tools they need to create shots that could easily pass for real-world photos.
If you’re looking to level up your in-game photography, here are a few tips to transform your snapshots from “nice car” to “desktop wallpaper”.
Choose the Right Car
The easiest way to improve your photos is to start with a car that deserves the spotlight.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the fastest or most expensive vehicle in your garage. Some cars simply photograph better than others. Classic Japanese legends like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mazda RX-7, and Honda NSX look right at home against Horizon 6’s Japanese backdrop, while race cars and exotic supercars can create dramatic contrast when placed in unexpected locations.
Bright colours also tend to stand out more effectively than greys, blacks, and whites, especially when shooting against natural scenery. But the number one rule will always be: choose a car you actually like. If you’re excited about what’s in the frame, you’re likely to spend more time getting the shot right.
Find a Good Location
Even the most beautiful car can look boring parked on the side of any old road.
One of Horizon 6’s biggest strengths is its variety of environments. The bustling city districts offer reflections, neon lights, and urban energy, while the countryside delivers rolling hills, forests, lakes, pink florals, and winding roads.
Try to think of the location as part of the story you’re trying to tell. A rally car kicking up dust on a mountain road creates a mood entirely different from that of a pristine supercar parked beneath glowing city lights.
Before taking the photo, spend a few moments exploring the area. Sometimes moving just a few metres down the road can dramatically improve the composition.
Choosing Lighting That Works
Photography is all about light.
The same car can look completely different depending on the time of day and weather conditions. Early morning and late afternoon often produce softer, warmer lighting that adds depth and character to bodywork, while midday sunlight can sometimes create harsh shadows and washed-out highlights.
Rain can also be your best friend. Wet roads create reflections that add visual interest and help images feel more cinematic.
If something feels off about your photo, the lighting is usually the first thing worth changing.
Choosing the Right Angles
Most players instinctively photograph cars from standing height.
Try not to.
Lower camera angles make vehicles appear larger, more aggressive, and more dramatic. Shooting from near ground level can transform an ordinary hatchback into something that looks ready to headline a motorsport poster.
Some angles I like to play around with include:
- Front three-quarter shots often show off the vehicle’s shape best.
- Side profiles work brilliantly for race cars and classic vehicles.
- Rear shots can highlight aggressive wings, exhausts, and taillights.
- Extreme close-ups can focus attention on wheels, badges, or bodywork details.
If a photo feels flat, try moving the camera rather than changing the settings right away.
Using the Right Settings
There’s no single perfect camera setup, but if you’re looking for a solid starting point, the following settings provide a balanced image that works well in most situations:
| Setting | Value |
| Shutter Speed | 50 |
| Focus Mode | Tracking |
| Focus | 30 |
| Exposure | 50 |
| Aperture | 20 |
| Bokeh Shape | Hexagon |
| Sampling | Quality |
| Contrast | 50 |
| Colour | 55 |
| Brightness | 50 |
| Sepia | 5 |
| Vignette | 30 |
| Temperature | 50 |
The slightly boosted colour setting helps make paintwork pop without looking oversaturated, while the vignette subtly draws attention towards the centre of the image.
The hexagonal bokeh shape is largely personal preference, but it can add a little extra character to background blur when shooting close-up images.
Treat these values as a baseline rather than a strict rulebook. Small adjustments can completely change the mood of a photograph.
Get Playful
The biggest mistake new virtual photographers make is trying to copy every shot they see online.
While that may help get your eye in, the best photos usually come from experimentation.
Try capturing motion with different shutter speeds. Shoot through foreground objects. Use unusual camera positions. Focus on reflections. Create silhouettes at sunset. Zoom in absurdly close to details. Change things up and see what happens.
Some of your favourite images will probably come from ideas that sounded ridiculous in your head, but ended up popping right off the screen and landing on the front cover of Speed and Sound.
And if all else fails, park a Skyline under a neon sign at night, pump up the rain and admire the reflections.
