This July with the launch of Stray, we watched as the PlayStation community fell in love with the BlueTwelve Studio’s realistic feline hero. But it wasn’t just gamers entranced by the cat physics and ‘Press Square to Meow’ technology – your pets were loving it too! Across social media we’ve seen the real life reactions as cats and dogs alike ran up to the screen wondering how that very real-looking cat got in there. 

Given the excitement, we reached out to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to see how we could turn player support for this beloved cat indie game into support for real pets in need. Alongside a $25,000 donation to the organization, we’d like to create a digital photobook of your pets sharing their love for Stray.

With that, we’re pleased to announce a new social media initiative called Stray Reactions. Here’s how it works:

How to Participate

Starting today through September 23, 2022, players just share photos or videos of your cat, dog, or other pet reacting or posing next to Stray gameplay on PlayStation on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #StrayReactions.*

At the end of that submission window, we’ll select our favorite inquisitive kitty videos and tail-wagging photos into a digital photobook to present to the ASPCA alongside a $25,000 donation. We’ll also be including some of the posts into a sizzle reel that we will share on our blog and social channels.

It’s that simple! We can’t wait to see your pets playing Stray alongside you. 

If you’d like to learn more about the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and their services, you can find them at aspca.org or contact information here. 

*Must be a U.S. resident, 18 years or older. If using a mobile device to enter, your wireless carrier’s standard data rates may apply. By posting a photo or video with the #StrayReactions hashtag to Twitter or Instagram between now and September 23rd you are agreeing that Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC may use the content (including your social media username) as described in this post and to otherwise promote the ASPCA and the #StrayReactions campaign. Posts should comply with the Instagram and Twitter terms of service (as applicable). This promotion is not associated with or sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram or Twitter.

I’m still working my way through The Last of Us Part I. My progress is glacial for one specific reason: Photo Mode. Turning every corner or glimpsing a character’s reaction to any given situation has me pause the action and pour long minutes into framing shots. My personal preference is character close-ups shot in Portrait Mode. As such, at home, you’ll see me in front of the TV with my head tilted to the side or stationed in front of a rotatable monitor. With the game being highlighted in PS Blog’s current Share of the Week, it felt right to not only highlight some of the great Photo Mode options in the game but share examples to help generate ideas and approaches you could fold into your own shots.

Photo Mode is fun to experiment with, and there’s a range of tools to tinker with.

Shortcut

In the game’s Options menu, you’ll find an option to activate a Photo Mode shortcut, letting you press L3 and R3 together to freeze the scene. It’s quicker than having your thumb stray to the Options button and potentially miss a great composition.

Frame Forward

A new addition: located in the first tab of the Photo Mode menu, each button press will move the on-screen action forward a single frame. It’s useful if you’ve caught a person mid-blink in a group portrait or to nudge a character’s pose to be that bit more dynamic during an action shot.

Here, Ellie’s eyes are shut.

A few taps of Frame Forward corrects the issue.

Controllable Lighting

Also, a new inclusion is the multiple lighting options. Head over to the far-right tab on the Photo Mode menu. You’ve the option of spawning up to three dynamic light sources. All are locked to orbit your playable character, but each can be manipulated independently. Change their position with the left stick, use the menu to alter their distance from the character, change the strength and size of the beam, alter the beam’s color, and more.

They’re a versatile tool. Use them to subtly add detail to a specific moment, use one to balance out the natural light of an exterior shot by illuminating your character’s front, or mask a trio as ambient light in dark environments to keep your characters out of shadow. Alternatively, dictate mood through creative use of light position and color use.

One tip specific to those shooting close-ups: keep your Field of View wide (Camera tab, far left) while setting up lights. This allows you to see exactly where your chosen virtual light rigs are on screen, making them easier to position.

With the sun behind him, we lose a lot of detail on Joel’s front. I put a single light set to a soft glow just out of shot, pointing upwards towards him. Now he pops against the darker background.

I put a single white light with a narrow beam at a 45-degree angle at Joel’s right, softening its str