Honestly I didn't think I'd care about photo mode in Borderlands 4 because it's a looter shooter not a photography simulator, but after spending way too many hours taking screenshots across every planet I have to admit that Gearbox put real effort into the photo mode and the game is genuinely gorgeous in ways you don't notice during combat, the cel-shaded art style combined with UE5 lighting creates some amazing screenshot opportunities if you know what you're doing with the camera settings, here's everything you need to know about BL4's photo mode
How to Access Photo Mode
Photo mode is available on all platforms (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series) and can be activated at any time by pressing both thumbsticks simultaneously on controller or the P key on PC keyboard, you can also bind it to a different key in the settings menu if the default is uncomfortable, the best practice is to bind photo mode to an easily accessible key like F1 or a mouse button because you often need to activate it quickly during action moments
When photo mode is active the game world pauses completely allowing you to move the camera freely around your character and adjust settings without worrying about enemies attacking you, the photo mode overlay takes up about 20% of the screen with the controls and settings panel and you can toggle the overlay visibility with the toggle UI button to see your shot without the interface
Camera Controls
The photo mode camera has full 3D movement with the following controls on PC: WASD moves the camera forward/backward/left/right, Q and E move the camera up and down, mouse movement rotates the camera view, and the scroll wheel controls the field of view (zoom in and out), on controller the left stick moves laterally, the right stick rotates, triggers move up/down, and the d-pad adjusts FOV
The camera has no distance limit in most areas so you can fly it through walls and across the entire map if you want, this is actually one of the best features because it lets you get angles that are impossible in normal gameplay, you can position the camera behind a wall to frame a shot through a window or hover above a boss arena to capture the full battlefield from above
Camera Settings Breakdown
| Setting | Range | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Field of View | 10-120 | Low FOV (20-40) for cinematic close-ups, high FOV (80-100) for landscape shots |
| Depth of Field | 0-100 | 20-40 for character portraits with blurred backgrounds, 0 for landscape shots |
| Focal Distance | Auto/Manual | Manual mode lets you pick exactly where the focus sits for precise DoF control |
| Exposure | -5 to +5 | +0.5 to +1 for bright Pandora, -0.5 to -1 for dark Nekrotafeyo interiors |
| Aperture | 1-16 | Lower numbers = more blur, higher = sharper but less background separation |
| Filter | 10 options | Varies by scene, cinematic and warm are the most popular for landscapes |
| Vignette | 0-100 | 30-50 for a cinematic look, 0 for clean screenshots |
| Character Visibility | On/Off | Off for pure landscape shots, On for action shots with your VH visible |
Best Settings for Different Shot Types
Action Combat Shots
Set FOV to 50-60 to frame the action tightly, Depth of Field to 30 with manual focus on your character, aperture to 4, exposure to +0.5, and turn character visibility ON with the pose set to "Action" or "Ready." The key to good action shots is to pause during a combat moment when there are particle effects (explosions, elemental procs, action skill VFX) in frame. A Moze Iron Bear rocket barrage with particle effects frozen mid-explosion makes for incredible screenshots.
Landscape and Environment Shots
Set FOV to 80-90 to capture the full scene, Depth of Field to 0 (everything in focus), aperture to 16 for max sharpness, exposure to +1 for Pandora's desert or -0.5 for Eden-6's jungle shadows, and turn character visibility OFF. The best landscape locations are the Floating Tomb overlook on Nekrotafeyo, the Splinterlands vista point from the elevated area, the Athenas cathedral at golden hour (the game's dynamic lighting makes this look incredible), and the Xylourgos glacier fields with the aurora borealis effect in the sky.
Character Portrait Shots
Set FOV to 30-40 for tight framing, Depth of Field to 60 with manual focus on the character's face, aperture to 2.8 for maximum background blur, exposure to 0, character visibility ON with pose set to "Casual" or "Idle." Position the camera slightly above the character looking down for a flattering angle and use a complementary lighting source (fire for warm tones, shock for cool tones) to add interesting color to the portrait.
Best Photo Mode Locations
After taking hundreds of screenshots across all planets here are my top 5 locations that always produce amazing results:
1. The Floating Tomb Overlook (Nekrotafeyo)
From the fast travel point at the Tomb Entrance, turn around and look back at the massive Eridian structure against the purple Nekrotafeyo sky. The contrast between the ancient alien architecture and the cosmic background creates stunning shots at any FOV. Best time: during the "Eridian storm" weather event that occasionally rolls through.
2. Athenas Monastery at Dusk
The lighting on Athenas during the transition between day and night creates long shadows and warm golden light that makes the cel-shaded art style pop. Position your camera on the bridge leading to the Cathedral of the Twin Gods and frame the shot with the sunset behind the cathedral silhouette.
3. Voracious Canopy Waterfalls (Eden-6)
The multi-tiered waterfall in the Voracious Canopy is the single most photogenic location in the game. Set FOV to 70, Depth of Field to 20 (focus on the foreground rocks), and wait for a Jabber to stand on the rocks near the waterfall for scale and life in the shot.
4. Slaughter Shaft Arena During Combat
This sounds counterintuitive but the Slaughter Shaft during an active fight with all the particle effects from guns, grenades, and action skills creates chaotic beautiful shots that capture the essence of Borderlands. Freeze the action during a Firestorm grenade explosion or when Moze's Iron Bear is launching rockets for maximum visual impact.
5. Xylourgos Glacier Pass
The frozen caves and ice formations on Xylourgos create a color palette of blues, whites, and purples that's completely different from any other area in the game. The reflective ice surfaces create interesting mirror effects that are great for creative compositions.
Photo Mode Challenges and Events
The Borderlands community runs a monthly photo mode challenge on the official Discord and Reddit where players submit their best screenshots on a theme (e.g., "best action shot," "best landscape," "best character portrait"), winners get featured on the official Borderlands social media channels and sometimes win in-game cosmetics
There's also an in-game photo mode achievement called "Shutterbug" for taking 50 photos in photo mode which unlocks a special camera-themed weapon trinket that looks like a vintage camera dangling from your gun, it's a fun achievement to work toward while you're exploring the game's beautiful environments
Honestly I didn't expect photo mode to be one of my favorite features in BL4 but here we are, the game's environments are genuinely beautiful and the UE5 lighting system creates atmospheric scenes that the fast-paced combat doesn't give you time to appreciate, spending an hour just exploring and taking photos on each planet is a relaxing change of pace from the endless grind for god-roll legendaries, and you might discover some scenic spots you never noticed during the campaign