Taking photos isn’t a new activity in The Sims 4. The base game allows the player to take photos right from the start. Players only need to press the phone and select Take a Photo. Upon taking their first picture, the Photography Skill will be added to that Sim’s Skill list.
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Although it’s easy to use, The Sims 4 cameras don’t have a lot of options and exciting attributes. However, thanks to Custom Content Creators (CC), many mods have improved the quality of the images. This article will summarize the best mods for taking in-game photos.
Updated on March 28, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: The Sims 4 is a wonderful playground that players can get lost in for hours on end. The sheer depth of the gameplay systems present in this title is quite astounding and proves just how engaging this life simulation title really is, even after suffering a rather poor launch that it has bounced back from. Players love decking out their houses and prettying up their Sims, and there's no better way to show them off than to take unique and memorable photos.
That being said, taking photos in the vanilla game can be pretty underwhelming and somewhat harder to execute than it should be. Thankfully, the Sims community understands the importance of that picture-perfect shot that players will adore. Here are some of the best Sims 4 camera mods players can use to enhance their in-game photos and make their virtual families look amazing. Whether it be unique poses or gameplay modifiers to help capture that elusive angle, people can rest assured knowing the fact that the modding community has gone above and beyond in this department.
13 Functional Photo Frames
While not necessary, players would love to take amazing pictures of their Sims and hang them up in their houses for everyone to see. However, some people may find this feature limiting, especially due to the lack of options when it comes to selecting the kind of frame that would accompany any picture.
This issue becomes a thing of the past with the Functional Photo Frames mod, which does exactly what is stated in the title. It allows players to choose from one of many custom-made frames that players can fix their photos in, leading to a frame that looks pretty unique and goes well with a number of colors and decorations.
12 Family Night – PosePack
Custom poses are some of the best mods players can download to enhance the quality of their photos in The Sims 4. One of the many pose packs that players can download to facilitate the same is the Family Night – PosePack mod.
As the name suggests, this pose pack is perfect for players who want to show off their loving families enjoying a night together. It's a simple mod but a great one that players can use to enhance the immersive nature of their photos. Of course, other Sims 4 players would also appreciate the time and effort put into these photos as well!
11 15 Sitting Poses
Usually, most Sims sit in a pretty normal and unremarkable manner, which is definitely functional but doesn't really look all that aesthetic in photos. Players want their Sims to look emotive and unique for photos, and taking one sitting down is hard because of how robotic their characters can look.
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Thankfully, this mod allows players to mess around with a bunch of sitting poses that look pretty great and make their in-game images seem all the more unique and exciting. It's a fairly simple mod, but one that players should not sleep on regardless.
10 Andrew’s Pose Player
Given the need for people to take photographs that are as customized as possible, it's easy to see why Andrew's Pose Player is going to be such a useful mod. The function of this mod should be pretty obvious.
Andrew's Pose Player gives a ton of options for the player to choose from when it comes to making a Sim recreate a particular pose. Players can select on the basis of name or type, which is pretty great and user-friendly.
9 Teleport Any Sim
This simple mod is a great way to bring Sims into an area where players need them for photographic purposes. It's a great simple yet effective mod to get customized pictures at the drop of a hat.
The Teleport any Sim mod is pretty nifty and does a great job of carrying out this eponymous function with ease. Players get access to a statue that gives the command Teleport and Summon, both of which are pretty convenient indeed.
8 Custom Poses
There are various mods that add a number of poses to the game that players can mess around with. It's great for players who want a particular shot that their Sims are incapable of carrying out in the vanilla game.
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These custom poses add a ton of flavor to a player's photos and make them look pretty professional. The best part about these pose mods is that there are so many of them that players have plenty of choices here.
7 MC Command Center
The MC Command Center (labeled MCCC by many fans) is a mod many consider to be a must-have for The Sims 4. The sheer number of functions it carries out is simply mind-boggling.
It allows players to customize certain Sims on the spot, which can be great to get the desired shot a player might want. This is just a small part of the sheer number of things that players have access to with the MC Command Center.
Sometimes, a Sim's lot can feel completely bare since the game restricts objects from being placed outside of the lot. While this restriction makes sense in a way, this doesn't really fly well with players who only want to decorate the space around their lot even more.
This is where the TOOL mod comes into the picture. It stands for Take Objects Off Lot and is a great way to improve the backdrop of a picture for players who want to go all out with their lot decorations.
5 Don’t Lose Focus
This mod is perfect for players who want high-quality images and love to shoot at night. The Don’t Lose Focus Cameras mod by RAVASHEEN comes with three cameras and one tripod. Although all of them have the same role, each has a unique style that distinguishes it from others. All the cameras have the same exceptional features to help Simmers snap more professional images.
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The Don’t Lose Focus series has more photo storage than a normal camera, as it can store 25 photos instead of five. Furthermore, it has maximum image quality and zoom capabilities and is base game friendly. The three cameras also have an outstanding night lens that allows Simmers to take amazing pictures at night.
4 Ctrl+Alt+Greenscreen
This amazing mod comes in three different sizes: Short, Medium, and Tall Custom Backdrop. Simmers need to choose based on the wall height of the house they live in. If they are taking the photos outside, the size doesn’t matter.
The Ctrl+Alt+Greenscreen by RAVASHEEN can be found in the Buy Mode. Players need to type “green” in the Search box, and the Backdrop should appear in all its sizes. The green screen lets players add any photo and customize it to their liking. Keep in mind that the desired photo needs to be placed in the selected Sim’s Inventory. After picking a picture, it will automatically appear on the Backdrop.
Players must then place their Sim in front of the green screen and select another Sim to either take a photo from a camera in their Inventory or place a camera on a tripod. To take a photo, just select the camera and pick Take Photo of, where a list of Sims will appear. Select the Sim standing in front of the Backdrop.
3 Iso Love Photos Camera
The Full Control, or the Iso Love Photos Camera by RAVASHEEN, can be found in Buy Mode. Type “camera” in the Search Box, and it should appear with a CC tag on it. Usually, when taking a photo, one Sim needs to be behind the camera. For instance, in a family of five, only four Sims can get their photo taken together.
This camera can help immensely if players want to take a picture of all their Sims. The Full Control Camera can be placed anywhere and will snap an image depending on the angle it's in: on the ground, table, a tripod, and so on. It’s worth mentioning that the camera won’t work if it is placed in the Inventory.
Besides not needing an extra Sim to take a photo, the Iso Love Photos Camera has other significant benefits:
- Adjusts camera’s point of view (360° rotation)
- Ability to zoom in and out to the furthest point (using the Scroll Wheel)
- High-quality photos
- Increased photo storage
- Control camera’s height (Q and E keys)
- Moving while in camera mode (W, A, S, and D keys)
- Base game friendly
To do a little test, place a Sim in a certain spot and snap three pictures; one with the Full Control Camera, another with the “Can You See Me Now” Camera and the last one with ClickShot P10 Mirrorless Camera. The last two are the most expensive cameras in The Sims 4. Upon closer inspection, players will notice that the Iso Love Photos Camera has the most zoom capabilities, the highest photo quality and is the only one that has a rotation option. Additionally, the other two cameras can only take a maximum of five pictures, while the Full Control Camera can take 25.
2 Modern Family Portrait
By typing “family” in the Search Box, Simmers can find two Framed Family Portraits, which are a part of the Modern Family Portrait mod by RAVASHEEN. Although the two frames differ in appearance, they have the same function.
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Once players select one of them and place it on the wall, the blank space in the middle will transform into a family picture of the current household. This mod allows players to customize their own family portrait.
It’s not a secret that there’s already a family portrait in The Sims 4. However, it has more disadvantages than advantages. For example, the frame's enormous size is a problem, as it takes up an entire wall. On the other hand, the same wall space can fit over six Framed Family Photos. In addition, The Sims 4’s portrait has a white background that cannot be changed, while the Modern Family Portrait has a variety of backgrounds; winter, summer, forest, and many more.
Everything can be adjusted in Live Mode; the frame color, poses, clothes, and so on. However, the background styles can only be chosen in Buy Mode. Simmers can also lock certain images to save memories since unlocked pictures will change every time a new Sim or pet is added. So, if players wish to keep a photo of their toddler after they grow up, they need to lock the memory.
1 Photographic Memory 2.0
The Photographic Memory 2.0 by RAVASHEEN is an improved version of the Old-Fashioned Camera. It looks the same, but many new attributes have been added to enhance this mod. Furthermore, this mod is compatible with the other mods, such as the Modern Family Portrait. Like the Full Control Camera, it can be found by typing “camera” in the Search Box.
It may seem confusing at first, as it contains many features to choose from. To begin, Simmers can either have family portraits ready or other images taken by cameras in their Inventory. Next, press on the Photographic Memory 2.0 and choose Photo Studio. Here, they get three options; Create Photo Gifts, Improve Photo Quality, and Transfer Photo, Canvas, or Cross-Stitch.
The Create Photo Gifts present four unique items to create images with:
- Canvas (6 sizes)
- Polaroid (4 swatches)
- Calendar (6 swatches)
- Cross-stitch hoops (small, medium, and large)
After choosing one of them, the product will be found in the selected Sim Inventory.
The Improve Photo Quality changes the picture’s quality to the highest and removes any gnomes, blurring, and fingerprints. Players must to hang the ruined image on the wall or keep it in the Inventory in order for the Photo Studio to see it.
Lastly, clicking on the third option opens a list of all photos in the Sim Inventory or paintings around the house. Upon choosing an image, Simmers can transfer it to another painting or cross-stitch. Cross-stitches and Calendars add a homey and warm feeling to the house, especially if it's a family photo.
As for Polaroids, Simmers can stack them in a certain area on the wall or buy a corkboard from Buy Mode and place them on it. This will make the house look more realistic like it’s gone through multiple generations.
Images on the wall or corkboard can also be customized. By selecting the desired photo, players can change the filter (make it inverted or black and white), the tape style (one in the middle or one on each side), and the color of the pin.
Moreover, Simmers can add a certain emotion to the images and recall them to gain a moodlet. By selecting a Customize Print, then Add Moodlets, players can choose any emotion. Later, when a Sim is recalling the memory from this customized image, a new moodlet will appear. For example, choosing the Inspiring Memory will cause the Sim to get Inspired. And if that wasn’t enough, Simmers can also add Photo Descriptions to their images to help keep the memories alive.
The Sims 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
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