What are all the locations of photo opportunities in Life is Strange Episode 1: Chrysalis?

Question

There are 10 optional photos to take in episode one of Life is Strange, but I only managed to find 3 in two play-throughs.

What are all locations of these photos? Is it possible to get them all in 1 play-through?

Answer 1

Every photo opportunity is highlighted by the game with a "Photo" action that you can choose. When you see the option, take the photo! Some of the circumstances around these photos will trigger the butterfly effect, but you can rewind and Max will keep the photo in her journal (and you'll keep the achievement). This also means that it is possible to get all 10 optional photos in a single playthrough regardless of the choices you stick with.

Here are all the optional photos in episode 1, along with the names of the achievements. Some of these can be found simply by exploring every area, while others will require you to do certain things in order for the photo opportunity to come up.

1. Macro Eyes: The first optional photo is in the "Rachel Amber ♡ 4ever" etched marks on one of the tables in the classroom. Easily missed if you just beeline for the door or Mr. Jefferson without looking at anything else, but unmissable if you pay attention to the tables.

2. Wide Angles: Once you're outside, you'll see a statue in the middle of a fountain. You need to go around so you're facing the front of the statue and look up, at which point the game will highlight it and allow you to take a photo.

3. Telephotogenic: This one requires some conversational effort. After the statue, go to where you see some skaters and talk to Justin. He'll ask you if you wanna thrash, but you can't answer so he calls you a poser. Now rewind and talk to him again and you'll get a new option to say "I came to Noseslide." Eventually Justin will ask you what you'd like to see; at this point, choose "Tre flip.", and Trevor will attempt one, have a minor accident and fall to the floor, at which point you can approach him and take a photo. If you feel bad about doing this, remember that you can rewind without losing the photo or the achievement. I know I did.

4. Close-Ups: When you're outside the dorm and Victoria and her clique are blocking the entrance, go to the far end where you'll see Kate sitting alone. In front of her is a tree; go around this tree and you'll see a squirrel that you can photograph.

5. Red Eye: When you're in Max's room, next to the door is a mirror. Yes, this game has an achievement for taking a mirror selfie.

6. Focused: This doesn't take as much effort as photo #3, but you will need to rearrange the photos by the door in Victoria's room and take a photo of the result. Rearranging the photos will trigger the butterfly effect, so don't forget you can rewind. I missed this one on my first playthrough.

7. Zoomed In: This one also requires action. Once you're outside the dorm again, you'll see Alyssa sitting on a bench to your left. Zach will throw his football and it will hit her on the head. You'll need to rewind, then warn Alyssa to move her head. Once she does that the football will bounce past her and break the window, which obviously will have consequences down the road. Go to the window and take a photo.

8. Focal Pointed: In the parking lot, in the far right (from where you start) you'll see a dusty RV. Go to the large rear window on the left side and you'll have an option to draw on it. Do so, and take a photo of the drawing. This will trigger the butterfly effect.

9. Maximum Aperture: This is supposedly one of the most easily missed achievements in this episode, as it involves doing something in an optional area to trigger a photo opportunity in a later chapter. While you're in Chloe's house, you'll need to enter her parents' room which is across from her room (the door is between a wall shelf and a large picture). You'll see a bird fly straight into the closed window and die. You'll need to rewind, then open the window to save the bird.

   This will trigger the butterfly effect — the supposed result is that this bird will show up again near the end of the game when Max and Chloe are in the park with the lighthouse. Once you regain control of Max, turn around and walk to the large rock behind her and you should see the bird land on the rock. You'll then be able to take a photo of it.

   The reason I say "supposed" is because either this photo opportunity is glitched, or the developers deliberately made it easier since it's so convoluted. Some players have reported seeing this bird without saving it, or without ever entering the room. All that said I suggest doing the above steps in order to ensure you see the bird later.

10. Light Leak: Once you're at the lighthouse, you'll see Chloe sitting by herself. Before you sit next to her, stand behind her and you'll see an option to take a photo. If you choose "Look", Max will comment on the opportunity for a good photo of Chloe framed by the sun.

Once you have all optional photos, you should automatically unlock the Visionary achievement simultaneously with Light Leak (or whichever photo achievement you get last).

If you've missed any of these photos but you don't want to play the episode again, you can return to the main menu, choose "Play episodes", choose a chapter, and you'll get an option to play the chapter in "collectible mode" which will allow you to grab those optional photos and the associated achievements.