VO is a beautiful game practically no matter what settings you play on, but I've noticed something extremely weird every time I look at screenshots or videos of it.

Everything always comes out looking.... dull. Flat.
Lacking expression.

It's not just a matter of capturing static moments contributing to this feeling, nor does it seem to be any lighting or motion effects.

It almost seems to me as if VO is simply refusing to be defined, not allowing itself to collapse into a state that can be understood through retroactive observation.

Is this just me? Am I insane here?

Whether its videos I take or screenshots on the wiki and forums or old and new video alike across multiple platforms, VO content just seems to fall flat, visually speaking; it lacks depth and essence.

If you've noticed this, why do you think it is?
How can it be fixed?

If you think I'm insane, please show me a decent, non-edited raw capture from in game that you think holds the same vibrancy of life as the game itself does, and prove my apparent biases wrong; for the life of me, I cannot get over this weird observation.

Sounds like a photography assignment... :p

Use the free camera and take a selfie; I don't have screenshots or footage that does the game justice.