Create “Mini Worlds” Using Tilt Shift Photography

Tilt shift is a photo technique that makes images of real scenes look like miniature models or dioramas. Often times, people purchase specialized lenses to help create this effect. However, if you’ve got a copy of Photoshop, you can probably create similar effects without the special lens.

To see some examples of “fake” tilt shifts, you should check out the Flickr group dedicated to this wonky art. Truly impressive and fun to look at, the images look as though the photographer has laboriously created a scale version of the scene and lovingly photographed it. For example, this is Manhattan:

Tilt shifting appears to work best with wide shots of open spaces. Consequently, it might be fun to test this out on an upcoming hiking trip, a trip to the ocean, a parade, or a sporting event. Apparently, it only takes 5-10 minutes to achieve this effect. Awesome, fun stuff.

Learn more:
* Lotsa tilt shift links
* How shift lenses change your life
* Tilt-shift in 4 steps
* Tips from Flickr enthusiasts

Here are some of my favorite Flickr images!

Utrecht:

An ocean scene:

Macy’s Chicago:

A hockey game:

Sunset at Jones Bay:

Multonomah Falls: