Why I Still Love Video Games and Photography (And You Should Too)

I grew up with a video game controller in my hands, Street Fighter, challenging opponents at the Southcentre Mall Lazer Illusions arcade, Final Fantasy marathons, Mario levels, and The Legend of Zelda games that stretched my imagination. 

Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, once said that PLAY is the FOUNDATION of LEARNING. And honestly, that idea shaped my photography more than I ever expected.

I've always wanted to share my video games and photography connection to everyone and not just my friends and people who knew me growing up

Today, I’m still playing masterpiece games like Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and the Final Fantasy VII Remake. And yes, I still love it.

Gaming taught me lessons I carry into photography every day. Observation, timing, patience, curiosity, and a little bit of daring, all of it. Photography, in many ways, is just another game. And if you’ve ever felt like play was a waste of time…I’m here to tell you, it’s hella NOT

1. Gaming trained my eye LONG before I held a camera

Before I ever shot a photo, I was learning:

• How light and shadow set the mood

• How colours and textures interact

• How movement tells a story

• How to anticipate action

All those instincts came from COUNTLESS hours of gaming. lol And when I got my first camera, a Nikon D70S, I found it on Kijiji with a broken lens, it was like my eyes were already trained for photography or something

“Studies have even shown that playing video games can improve problem-solving, attention, and visual-spatial skills, all things that translate directly to photography and creativity. (For example, a 2013 review in Frontiers in Psychology found that gamers often outperform non-gamers in tasks involving spatial reasoning and multitasking.) ”

 2. Timing, anticipation, and the art of failing

Gamers know failure. You die in a boss fight, retry, and learn from it. Photography is the same. Miss a shot, miscalculate exposure, or misframe a moment, and you try again.

By the time I became a photographer, I was comfortable with failure in a strange way. Gaming made me resilient. It trained me to keep playing, keep experimenting, and keep improving.

Playing Streetfighter at the Arcade

3. Creativity is play, and play is essential

I’ve always believed artists are just kids at heart who never stopped playing. In my opinion, creativity isn’t serious. It’s curious, messy, playful,…you fall, scrape your knees, someone cries… and then we play again. Same as adults, right? Haha

If you stop playing, you stop being creative. Many people I know who once identified as artists feel a little sad later in life when they leave play behind for a “serious” job. It kinda breaks my heart a little to hear. Photography is one way to keep that playful, curious part of yourself alive.

4. The Nolan Bushnell moment: full-circle inspiration

One of the most surreal experiences in my photography career was photographing Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, one of the fathers of video games. 

I was hired to photograph his keynote and a portrait at the Telus Convention Centre. I had three minutes (felt like one second) to capture a true legend before he stepped on stage.

I was nervous. Not because of the camera skills; I’d been shooting for years, but because of who he was. He looked stern at first, but in his eyes, I could see kindness and a deep understanding of play.

I think I captured that in his portrait.

Photo by Jonard Tan — Portrait of Nolan Bushnell

I also photographed his talk, and the whole time, part of me was doing my job, while another part of me was that eight-year-old kid in the arcade, wide-eyed and inspired.

Photo by Jonard Tan —  Nolan Bushnell

Photo by Jonard Tan — Nolan Bushnell

It felt like life was winking at me.

This moment right here reminds me why I still love photography. And why I’ll NEVER stop PLAYING.

5. Photography is an open-world adventure

Every walk with my camera feels like an open-world game. Streets, parks, and ordinary spaces are full of side quests: 

• A reflection in a puddle

• A shadow on a wall

• A stranger’s expression

• A colour combination that stops me in my tracks

Photography teaches you to see, and play teaches you to notice. The magic isn’t always in the exotic locations; it’s in the everyday, if you allow yourself to explore.

As I'm writing this, they're constantly teasing the release of GTA VI in 2026...

6. Play isn’t just for kids - it’s for anyone

People often say, “I’m too old to start photography,” or, “I’m too old for video games.”

Nope. Play is timeless. Creativity, curiosity, and exploration have no expiration date. Photography is just a tool to channel that playful energy into something tangible. (Try to change my mind)

Your inner child is still inside you,  just needs permission to let them guide the way.

THIS IS YOUR SIGN

7. Play > hustle

Hustle culture and the social media influencer "Alpha bros" tell us that play is a waste of time. I highly disagree.

In a world of AI and automation, PLAY is our last human advantage. Imagination, curiosity, and joy are things machines can’t replicate. Gaming and photography teach us that: play isn’t optional, it’s essential. 

I find it really tough to relate and hang out with people who are too serious and don't play

Final thoughts

I believe photography is a lifelong game. It’s about observing, experimenting, failing, and having fun. It’s about keeping curiosity alive and letting your inner child guide you.

So pick up a camera. Walk. Explore. Experiment. Fail. Laugh.
And above all, PLAY

Because if I’ve learned anything from decades of gaming and photography, it’s this: the people who never stop playing are the ones who never stop creating. They’re also the ones who never stop learning

Jonard