Forza Horizon 6 Photo Mode Guide: How to Use It, Best Settings & Best Locations

TL;DR

• Photo Mode opens with D-Pad Up on controller or P on PC — works mid-race and mid-drift without losing progress.
• Every new car you photograph earns 10 Festival XP through Horizon Promo.
• Take Quickshots at race starts to snap up to 6–7 new cars per race with almost no time lost.
• There are 26 photography locations across Japan tied to the Discover Japan Collection Journal.
• Completing all 26 earns you the Toyota Chaser V car plus credits along the way.
• Japan’s setting — neon Tokyo, cherry blossoms, mountain touge, wet asphalt — makes this the best Forza photo sandbox yet.
• Photos save as 4K PNG on PC and can be shared to the community via the in-game Creative Hub.

Why Photo Mode in Forza Horizon 6 Is Worth Your Time

Most players tap into Photo Mode once, take a quick screenshot of their car, and move on. That is a mistake. Photo Mode in Forza Horizon 6 does way more than just let you snap pretty pictures. From earning Festival XP to unlocking in-game rewards, Photo Mode is actually worth learning.

Japan is the best setting the Forza Horizon series has ever had for photography. Cherry blossom-lined mountain roads, wet neon-soaked Tokyo streets, golden autumn valleys, and the iconic touge passes all give you natural backdrops that almost take the shot for you. Forza Horizon 6’s Japan setting — cherry blossoms, neon Tokyo, snowy mountain areas, and mountain touge passes — makes it the best photography sandbox the series has ever shipped.

And it is not just aesthetic. Photography is tied directly to your Festival XP, Wristband progression, Collection Journal, and even exclusive car rewards. This guide covers everything — how to use it, all the settings, how to earn XP fast, and the best locations in Japan to visit.

You can jump into FH6 on Forza.net, Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox.

How to Open Photo Mode in Forza Horizon 6

Getting into Photo Mode is simple. If you are on a controller, press Up on the D-Pad. On PC with a keyboard, press P. You can do this while driving around the open world or right at the start of a race. Once you are in, the world pauses around you, and the camera activates. You are free to move it around and frame your shot without any time pressure.

One of the best upgrades in FH6 compared to previous games is that photo mode can be opened mid-event without forfeiting the run. The game freezes, your wheels stop, and you can move the camera up to approximately 12 meters from the car. This means you can grab a shot mid-drift, mid-air off a jump, or mid-corner without losing race progress. Just note that in online sessions like The Trial or Eliminator, the world keeps moving even when you open Photo Mode — so save the artistic shots for solo play.

Photo Mode Controls: Xbox, PlayStation and PC

Once you are inside Photo Mode, here is how to navigate it:

• Left Stick / WASD — Move the camera in any direction
• Right Stick / Mouse — Adjust pitch and yaw (vertical and horizontal angle)
• Left Trigger / Right Trigger — Lower or raise the camera elevation
• D-Pad Up / Down (or scroll wheel) — Zoom in and out using focal length
• Y / Triangle / Y key — Open the Effects Menu to adjust camera settings
• RB / R1 / R key — Take a Quickshot (instant Horizon Promo snap)
• A / Cross / Enter — Take and save the full photo
• B / Circle / Escape — Exit Photo Mode

Together these controls give you full 3D freedom over the camera. Most players only use basic movement, but combining pitch, yaw, and roll is how you get those really polished, magazine-style shots.

Photo Mode Camera Settings Explained

Press Y / Triangle to open the Effects Menu. This is where most of the creative power lives. Here is what each setting does and how to use it well.

Aperture (f-stop)

Controls depth of field — how much of the image is in focus. A low f-number like f/2.0 creates heavy background blur (bokeh), which is great for isolating your car against a soft, dreamy background. A higher number like f/8 keeps the whole scene sharp, which suits wide landscape shots.

For neon Tokyo shots at night, aperture f/2.0 creates deep bokeh where neon turns into soft glowing orbs. For mountain shots where you want both the car and the ridge sharp, step up to around f/5.6.

Shutter Speed

Controls motion blur. A fast shutter speed (1/250 or higher) freezes action completely — ideal for mid-drift or jump shots. A slow shutter speed (1/15 to 1/30) introduces motion blur that makes the car look like it is moving even when frozen.

For rain shots, a shutter speed of 1/40 captures rain streaks and adds real atmosphere to the image. For clean static car shots in a garage, use 1/125 or higher.

Focal Length

Controls how wide or zoomed the shot feels. Wide angles (20–35mm) make the car look bigger and more dramatic but can distort the edges. Telephoto ranges (85–135mm) compress distance and are excellent for making mountain scenery pile up dramatically behind the car.

A focal length of 85mm compresses the mountain folds behind the car for a more cinematic look. For a balanced everyday shot, the 50–85mm range works well in most situations.

Exposure and ISO

Exposure (measured in EV stops) controls overall brightness. Push it up slightly — around +0.3 to +0.7 EV — for shots in overcast conditions or under tree cover. For snow scenes, exposure of +0.7 to +1.0 EV is needed because snow tricks the auto-meter into dimness.

White Balance

Shifts the colour temperature of the whole image. A cool white balance (around 5,200K) keeps neon colours vivid and punchy in Tokyo night shots. A warm white balance (around 5,800K) works beautifully for cherry blossom scenes where you want the pink tones to glow.

Contrast, Saturation, and Sharpness

These are finishing sliders. Contrast at +10 to +20 adds depth and punch, especially on wet roads where reflections need separation. Saturation should be left mostly neutral — pushing it too high makes cars look plastic. Sharpness helps with distant details but can add unwanted grain if overused.

Vignette

Darkens the edges of the frame to draw focus to the centre. Use it subtly as a finishing touch, not to compensate for bad framing. Vignette is a final 10%, not a fix for bad framing. Depth of field should do the heavy lifting when it comes to directing the viewer’s eye.

Best Camera Setting Presets for Different Scenes

Neon Tokyo Night Shot

• Aperture: f/2.0
• Shutter Speed: 1/15
• Exposure: +0.5 EV
• White Balance: Cool (~5,200K)
• Park on wet asphalt for reflections

Mountain Touge Action Shot

• Aperture: f/5.6
• Focal Length: 85mm
• Shutter Speed: 1/250 (frozen) or 1/60 (motion blur on wheels)
• Time of day: 6:30 AM or 4:30 PM golden hour

Cherry Blossom Scene

• Focal Length: 85–135mm to pull petals into a soft pink blanket
• Aperture: f/2.8
• White Balance: Warm (~5,800K)
• Exposure: +0.7 EV

Rainy Road Reflection

• Aperture: f/3.2
• Shutter Speed: 1/40
• Contrast: +20
• Camera angle: low and centred, pointing at the wet road

Cinematic Balanced Shot

• Aperture: f/2.8–f/4
• Focal Length: 50–85mm
• Shutter Speed: 1/30–1/60
• FOV: ~30°
• Exposure: +0.3 EV
• Contrast: +10

How to Use Photo Mode for Garage and Car Meet Shots

You do not have to be out on the road to take great photos. If you want clean shots of your car, head to any garage you own. Go to the Customizable Garage tab, select View Garage, and you will see the Photo Mode option in the bottom left of the screen. It is a great spot for showing off a custom paint job or a freshly tuned build.

Around the map, you will find meetup spots where other players park up and hang out. At these locations, you can photograph other players’ cars too, not just your own. Car meet shots with multiple real-player builds in a single frame tend to perform well in the community gallery.

For Quality Mode graphics that look best in photos, for photo mode or free roam, Quality mode maximizes visual fidelity on console — switch your graphics mode before you start a photography session.

Horizon Promo: How Photography Earns You Festival XP

Horizon Promo is the car photography system that turns every shot you take into progression. Every time you photograph a car you have not snapped before, you earn 10 Festival XP. That is 10 points directly toward your next Wristband.

With around 600 cars in FH6, that is a potential pool of 6,000 Festival XP waiting to be collected — just from taking photos.

The Quickshot Race Method

The fastest way to farm Horizon Promo XP is at the start of every race. The second the lights go green, open Photo Mode. Then press RB on Xbox or R1 on PlayStation to take a Quickshot. Point the camera forward and snap the cars ahead of you, then turn it around and snap the ones behind. With a race grid of up to 12 cars, you can capture 6 or 7 new cars easily. That is up to 70 Festival XP per race, just from a quick camera snap.

The key is to keep changing the car you are using, as the XP is only available once per car. The cars you race against are selected to compete fairly against your vehicle, so changing your car frequently ensures the game mixes up the starting grid.

By the time you earn the Gold Wristband through this method, you could have captured over 200 cars from races, resulting in over 2,000 Festival XP — enough to cover some of the earlier Wristband tiers on its own.

Spotting Cars in Free Roam

As you drive around, keep an eye out for cars that have a small camera icon floating above them. That icon means you have not added that car to your Horizon Promo collection yet. Pull up Photo Mode and take a Quickshot to add it instantly.

Traffic cars, Drivatars roaming the map, and other real players’ vehicles all count. Every new one you catch is 10 more XP. This adds up fast during normal free roam sessions without any extra effort.

The Discover Japan Photography Collection: All 26 Locations

Separate from Horizon Promo, the game has a dedicated photography category inside the Discover Japan Collection Journal. This is about photographing specific landmarks, murals, and items scattered across Japan’s map.

One of the many checklists you have to clear in your Discover Japan Collection Journal is the Photography category, where a total of 26 specific landmarks, murals, and items have to be found and photographed. The problem is, the game only gives you the name of what has to be photographed, and while some can be roughly figured out by name alone, others are proper needle-in-a-haystack stuff.

When you frame the right landmark in Photo Mode and take the shot, the journal entry gets ticked off automatically. The reward for completing the entire Photography category is obtaining the Toyota Chaser V car, plus credits along the way.

The Discover Japan Photography Collection features 26 key spots scattered across Tokyo City, Shimanoyama, rural areas, and special seasonal and artistic locations. Here is a regional breakdown of where to look:

Tokyo City Region

• Tokyo Tower Equivalent — The large tall structure located near the Daikoku Parking Lot, south of the main Tokyo City area. Easy to spot from a distance.
• Tokyo Mural (North) — Near the top of Tokyo City, just north of the Tokyo City Food Delivery mission area.
• Horizon Festival Stage — Standing at the Horizon Festival area in the Ohtani Region.

Shimanoyama Region

• Peace Torii — Located in the water, right on the south-west point of the Shimanoyama region. One of the most visually striking shots in the game.
• Cranes — Found flying in the Shimanoyama region. Position and timing may vary slightly.

Takashiro Region

• Mt. Haruna Shrine — Has its own marked area in the Takashiro Region, so it is relatively easy to find once you are in the area.
• Temple in the Trees — On the far west side of the Takashiro region, near where the Mitsubishi Evo III Treasure Car is found, high up in the tree line.

Hokobu Region

• Rural Mural — In a small town near the middle of the Hokobu region, south of the Tall Trees Speed Zone. It is on the side of a building and can be hard to spot while driving.
• Hokobu Landmark — Located near the top of the Hokobu Region. This one sometimes does not trigger even if you get it in the shot, so you might need to move around it and take photos from the side or back until it triggers.

Minamino Region (Shirakawa)

• Shirakawa Farmhouse — There are many farmhouses in Shirakawa but the specific one you want is on a tiny island with a pond around it.

Ito Airfield and Island Areas

• Airfield Mural — Found at the south side of the Ito Airfield.
• Big Daisugi Forest — On the west end of the island, just up from the Ito Airfield. The Big Daisugi is the forest, so any shot of the tall trees should trigger it.

Irokawa Space Centre (South Map)

• HZN-VI Rocket — On a wall just around the corner from the rocket at the Irokawa Space Centre.
• Space Centre Landmark — Can be found at the Irokawa Space Centre right at the bottom of the map.

Near Mei’s House

• Temple North-West of Mei’s House — A Buddhist temple that can be found north-west of Mei’s starting house. One of the more accessible early-game photography spots.

For a full interactive map of all 26 locations as the community finishes documenting them, check our Forza Horizon 6 Japan Map Guide.

Best Photography Locations in Forza Horizon 6

Beyond the journal collection spots, Japan is packed with stunning free-roam locations for creative shots. These are the places worth making a trip to.

1. Neon Tokyo at Night on Wet Roads

The best single photo location in the entire game. Drive into the heart of Tokyo City after the rain, park on a wet stretch of road, and open Photo Mode. The neon signs reflect off the asphalt and every light source turns into a glowing orb in the background. Use a low aperture (f/2.0) and a slightly slow shutter speed.

The Daikoku Parking Lot area on the south side of the city is a particularly rich spot — other players gather here, the lighting is dense, and the urban texture is unmatched. It also ties directly into the Tokyo photography collection spots.

2. Cherry Blossom Roads in Spring

The mountain roads lined with cherry blossom trees are a highlight of FH6’s spring season. Position your car mid-road with the tree canopy overhead and shoot slightly upward. Use a warm white balance and push your exposure up by about +0.7 EV. The pink-on-pink effect of blossoms against the sky is something no other Forza game has offered before.

Hirosaki Castle offers a stark but stunning building surrounded by Sakura — Japan’s iconic cherry blossom trees. This area is one of the most photographed in the game.

3. Mountain Touge Passes at Golden Hour

The five Touge Battle routes — especially Mt. Haruna and Norikura Skyline — offer dramatic mountain curves with elevation changes that create incredible foreground-to-background depth. Time your session at in-game 6:30 AM or 4:30 PM for golden hour light. An 85mm focal length compresses the mountain folds behind the car into a layered, almost painterly backdrop.

For the best Touge road knowledge, check our individual guides: Mt. Haruna Touge Guide, Hakone Nanamagari, and Bandai Azuma.

4. The Peace Torii Gate (Shimanoyama)

One of the most iconic photography locations in the whole game. The Torii gate sitting in the water at the south-west tip of Shimanoyama is an unmissable shot. Shoot from the water’s edge at low camera elevation, ideally at dawn or dusk when the sky is warm. This one also counts toward your Collection Journal Photography category.

5. Autumn Valley Roads

FH6’s autumn season is widely regarded as the champion photography season in the game. Golden ginkgo avenues, red-leaf valleys, and flooded rice paddies are the absolute champion of photo mode seasons. Park on a narrow rural road framed by red and gold trees with a low sun angle. No other season produces this range of natural colour.

6. Ruriko-ji Pagoda (Rural Region)

Ruriko-ji is a Buddhist temple recognizable by its towering five-tiered pagoda surrounded by lush greenery. Position your car in the foreground with the pagoda slightly off-centre and use a mid-range focal length to keep both sharp. Works best in spring or autumn light.

7. Elevated Tokyo Highways

Tokyo’s layered highway system gives you elevated vantage points you cannot get at street level. Drive up to an elevated section, stop your car on the inside lane, and shoot downward into the city sprawl below. The scale of Tokyo becomes immediately apparent — especially at night when the grid of streetlights and neon extends to the horizon.

8. Mountain Summit Road (Norikura Skyline)

The highest point on the Norikura Skyline Touge route gives you a view across multiple layers of mountains with mist sitting in the valleys below. Open Photo Mode mid-corner with the car on the outside of a fast bend. The combination of altitude, road, and sky in one frame is hard to beat. See our Best Roads in FH6 guide for more top driving and photography roads.

How to Save and Share Your Photos

After you take a shot, select Continue and then choose to save the photo. When saving, you can add a description and tags to your photo. Once it is shared with the community, other players can like it, and the Forza Horizon team can even feature it.

Here is where photos go on each platform:

• PC: Photos save to %USERPROFILE%\Pictures\Forza Horizon 6\ as 4K PNG. The in-game Creative Hub also uploads to your Xbox or Microsoft account for cross-platform viewing.
• Xbox Series X|S: Share through the Xbox Share button under Recent captures. Upload to OneDrive for full-resolution transfer to PC.
• PS5: Photo mode shots go to the PS5 system Capture Gallery. Use the Create button mid-shot for a system-level copy. Resolution caps at 1440p on PS5 versus 4K on PC.

Festival Playlist Photo Challenges

Each week in the Festival Playlist, there is usually at least one Photo Challenge. These give you a specific subject — a named car, a landmark, or a scenario — and ask you to photograph it. They count toward your weekly playlist points, making them worth completing even if you do not normally engage with Photo Mode.

Photo Challenges work by placing a subject mask on screen when you open Photo Mode near the target location. Line the subject up within the mask and take the shot. The challenge completes automatically. These are among the fastest playlist points each week and take under five minutes in most cases.

For more on how the playlist works and all the weekly reward cars, see our Forza Horizon 6 Seasonal Events and Festival Playlist Guide.

Tips to Get the Most From Photo Mode

• Swap cars regularly between races to keep getting new Horizon Promo XP from fresh grids.
• Use Quality Mode on console before any photography session for maximum visual detail.
• Time your sessions around in-game weather and seasons. Rain, golden hour, and autumn are the three best conditions.
• Shoot low — a low camera angle makes any car look more dramatic and fills more of the frame with the road.
• Use depth of field, not vignette, to direct the viewer’s eye. Vignette is a finishing touch, not the main technique.
• Use mid-race Photo Mode to freeze action shots. Open it in mid-drift at the apex for the best lateral G-force pose.
• Visit the Daikoku Parking Lot when other players are present — more builds in one frame means more variety and more Horizon Promo XP.

Photography, Progression, and Rewards: The Full Picture

Photography in FH6 connects to more systems than most players realise. Here is a quick summary of everything it feeds into:

• Horizon Promo — 10 Festival XP per new car photographed. Directly contributes to Wristband progression.
• Discover Japan Collection Journal — 26 specific landmarks to photograph. Full completion rewards the Toyota Chaser V plus credits.
• Festival Playlist — Weekly Photo Challenges earn seasonal points toward reward cars.
• Creative Hub — Community gallery where you can share shots, get likes, and potentially get featured by Playground Games.
• Stamps — Photography activities count toward Discover Japan Stamps, which unlock Barn Find Rumors and new homes around Japan.

For a full overview of how Stamps and Wristbands connect, check our Beginner’s Guide from Tourist to Legend. And if you are pushing toward the endgame, our How to Unlock Legend Island guide covers what comes after you earn the Gold Wristband.

Frequently Asked Questions