A cryptic photo mission in Fontaine turns into something far more mysterious in Genshin Impact’s “Capturing Light and Shadow” quest, challenging players to trace lost moments, solve visual riddles, and uncover the truth behind the perfect shot.
Read on to learn how to unseal the four streaming projectors and complete the “Capturing Light and Shadow” world quest.
‘Capturing Light and Shadow’ world quest location
The “Capturing Light and Shadow” world quest takes players to a scenic area where artistry meets exploration. Set within Fontaine’s picturesque environment, the quest unfolds across locations rich in contrast, where players assist a photographer seeking the perfect balance of illumination and darkness. Each stage highlights the region’s atmosphere through environmental puzzles and camera-based challenges that test observation and timing.
The “Capturing Light and Shadow” world quest starts as soon as you enter the cave in the southwest corner of the Veluriyam Mirage. The easiest way to get to the cave is to get on the Choo-Choo cart and take the rail connected to the teleport waypoint in the southwest corner.
‘Capturing Light and Shadow’ world quest walkthrough
The “Capturing Light and Shadow” quest guides players through a series of tasks centered on investigating strange light phenomena and helping an NPC complete their artistic project. You’ll explore various marked areas, take photographs using specific angles, and solve environmental puzzles related to lighting. Paying attention to time settings and positioning is key to capturing the required shots. Completing each step rewards you with Primogems, Mora, and materials, making it a detailed yet rewarding side quest for explorers.
1. Head up the stairs at the entrance of the cave, and drop down to find a Hydro eidolon.
2. Follow the Hydro eidolon to the Choo-Choo cart, and don’t forget to open the chest along the way.
3. Ride the Choo-Choo cart along the rail until it stops, and allow the Hydro eidolon to break the seal on the streaming projector.
4. Drop down to the platform in front of the mural, and then drop down to the grass to find Dendrogranum.
5. Interact with the Dendrogranum and activate the plant beside it by hitting it with a charged attack. This will create a path of four-leaf sigils for you to use later on.
6. Face away from the mural and turn to the right to find a streaming projector surrounded by a water barrier and a cave entrance beside it.
7. Drop down into the cave to find a Hydro eidolon surrounded by hilichurls.
8. Defeat the hilichurls and follow the Hydro eidolon through the cave to the Choo-Choo cart, defeating any enemy that spawns.
9. Ride the Choo-Choo cart back to the streaming projector, where the Hydro eidolon will unlock it.
10. Turn towards the mural and look to the left to spot a hole in the wall.
11. Make your way into the hole in the wall and immediately turn left.
12. Continue down the path to find a Hydro eidolon surrounded by lit torches.
13. Switch to a Hydro character and put out the flames to free the eidolon.
14. Follow the Hydro eidolon to a submerged gate, which they can squeeze through.
15. Turn around and head up the fallen pillar, and drop down into the hole in the floor to where the eidolon is located.
16. Put out the torches with a Hydro character to let the eidolon pass by, and climb back up the walls to return to your original location.
17. Proceed forward and drop down to reunite with the Hydro eidolon.
18. Follow the eidolon, defeating the hilichurls along the way, until you reach the Choo-Choo cart.
19. Board the Choo-Choo cart, which will return you to the mural and unseal one of the streaming projectors in the process.
20. While you’re still on the elevated platform, face away from the mural to spot the four-leaf sigils you unleashed before. Interact with the sigils and make your way to the Hydro eidolon in the distance.
21. Follow the Hydro eidolon until you reach a room with a locked chest, two Hydro monuments, and another Hydro monument hidden behind a gate.
22. Activate the two Hydro monuments in the room, and interact with the Hydro eidolon to activate the last monument behind the gate.
23. Follow the Hydro eidolon, defeating any enemy along the way, to the lower floor, which has a Cryo, Pyro, and Hydro monument.
24. Activate the three monuments as fast as you can. If you’re having trouble, you can ask the Hydro eidolon for help and only activate two of the monuments on your own.
25. Proceed into the next room, and board the Choo-Choo cart back to the mural where the eidolon will unseal the last streaming projector.
26. Interact with the marked streaming projector, which will place you into the mural.
27. Grab all four glowing mural fragments, revealing four new locations to place the fragments.
Where to find all Hydro eidolons in this quest
In the Genshin Impact “Capturing Light and Shadow” world quest, four Hydro Eidolons appear sequentially in the cave southeast of the Overgrown Valley Teleport Waypoint (Veluriyam Mirage). Each must be followed to unseal a Streaming Projector near the central mural.
First Hydro Eidolon
Found after entering the cave via Choo-Choo Cart, ascending stairs, and dropping down in front of the mural. Follow it to a chest, ride the cart, and let it break the first seal.
Second Hydro Eidolon
After activating a Dendrogram and sigils, drop right of the mural into a cave with hilichurls. Defeat enemies, follow it back via cart to unseal the second projector.
Third Hydro Eidolon
Enter the hole left of the mural, turn left to a torch-surrounded area. Extinguish torches with Hydro, climb the pillar, clear the path below, reunite, defeat hilichurls, and ride the cart to unseal the third projector.
Fourth Hydro Eidolon
Use earlier sigils to reach a room with Hydro monuments and a locked chest. Activate monuments (ask for its help on the last), defeat enemies, quickly trigger Cryo/Pyro/Hydro monuments downstairs, then follow to the final projector.
Show map markers for every Hydro eidolon in Veluriyam Mirage
Hydro Eidolons in Veluriyam Mirage appear in multiple puzzles across areas like Silver Bottle Courtyard, Overgrown Valley, Pavilion of Hermits, and Thinkers’ Theater, often guiding players to Hydro Monuments or chests. In the “Capturing Light and Shadow” quest cave (southeast of Overgrown Valley Teleport Waypoint), four specific ones spawn sequentially near the mural. While exact interactive maps aren’t directly embeddable here, guides provide marked locations via images and descriptions.
Quest Cave Eidolons (Capturing Light and Shadow)
These four are found progressively inside the cave:
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First: Directly in front of the mural after dropping down post-stairs.
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Second: Right drop from mural into hilichurl cave.
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Third: Left hole from mural, behind torches.
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Fourth: High room via sigils, with Hydro monuments.
Other Veluriyam Mirage Locations
Hydro Eidolons hide in various forms (bubbles, slime boxes, crystals) for separate puzzles:
| Area | Marker Description | How to Reveal |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Bottle Courtyard (center islands) | Under Dendro rock pile; activates monuments on floating islands | Dendro charged attack or Dendrogranum. |
| South of Silver Bottle Courtyard (isle) | Turns into arrows for 5-monument order | Follow activation sequence on hill. |
| Northeast Silver Bottle Courtyard | Central among small islands’ monuments | Interact to see order. |
| West Thinkers’ Theater Teleport (left side) | Disguised as slime boxes on trees or crystal chunk | Interact with suspicious objects. |
| Pavilion of Hermits (north hidden) | Multiple in Overgrown Valley vicinity | Explore videos/guides for precise spots . |
For visual maps, check Game8’s interactive Veluriyam Mirage map (filter Hydro Eidolons) or Teyvat Interactive Map, which mark all ~10+ instances with icons.
