"Miniature" pics

Hey gang,

I've got a Cannon T1i (500D), and would like to try my hand at creating "miniature" pics -- that effect where the photo appears to be a photo of a model train set, etc.

Just wondering what equipment I need to buy to do this.

Thanks!

I believe you're referring to tilt-shift photography. I've never done this myself, but here is what I know:

The tilt-shift effect can be achieved either in-camera (using a specific type of lens, which can be quite expensive--$1000+) or in post-processing (quite simple given the right subject matter in a photograph, and the right software). I know that Photoshop can be used to create the tilt-shift effect, and I would guess other software can do the same.

Here's a simple tutorial on creating tilt-shift pictures using Photoshop: http://www.tiltshiftphotography.net/photoshop-tutorial.php

I hope this helps!

I thought it had miniature effect somewhere.

Alan,

There are 3 ways to do it:
1) cheapest - sell your camera and buy either 60D or 600D, both of them have it
2) more expensive - buy PS 5 and learn how to make this effect using PP in PS
3) most expensive - buy tilt and shift lens to get this effect natural way

Cheaper than a 60D or 600d is the S95 - I bought it before a recent trip as I found I missed a 'pocketable' camera that could go anywhere with me. Unfortunately I didn't get to put it through its paces as much as I would have liked as my sister's camera died so I gave her the S95 for the remainder of the trip, but here are 2 miniature tests I did when I had it...









It was fun and the effect is pretty cool - how much would I use it???, no idea, time will tell.

Cheers Olivia

--
The world is too big for one lifetime, and one lens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliviamair/

Or you could try:-

http://tiltshiftmaker.com/

Which is free.

Ian

CalBoy87 said:

There are 3 ways to do it:
1) cheapest - sell your camera and buy either 60D or 600D, both of them have it
2) more expensive - buy PS 5 and learn how to make this effect using PP in PS
3) most expensive - buy tilt and shift lens to get this effect natural way

Click to expand...

No need to get a new camera or lens to pull off this trick. It's easy enough to do in software. If you don't already have some version of Photoshop, try the Gimp (free image editor): -

http://www.gimp.org/downloads/

Once you've got it, there's a nice tutorial on Flickr for creating this effect: -

http://www.flickr.com/groups/tilt-shift-fakes/discuss/72057594073514981/

Wow, thanks gang!

I will give Gimp a try (certainly don't want to replace my camera -- which I love -- for this effect!).

I was thinking I needed a special lens of some type, but since I won't use it often, the idea of doing it via software is great -- thanks!

Not quite as good as the tilt shift option, but not quite the cost either.

These ones can get the same effect and fits the budget from $99 to $400

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/580441-REG/Lensbaby_LBMPC_Muse_PL_Mount_Lens.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/580401-REG/Lensbaby_LBCC_Composer_Special_Effects_SLR.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/580447-REG/Lensbaby_LBCFC_Control_Freak_Special_Effects.html

--
CityLights
http://www.pbase.com/citylights
.

i actually used to own a tilt-axis lens. it was not a canon tilt-shift TS-x lens, but it was an old medium-format camera with a tilt-axis mount that was fully manual. anyway, it was a 90mm f/2.8 and it still did not deliver the results i was looking for. it only cost like $300, i sold it for about $300 so no big deal.

BUT, after i sold my canon gear and bought nikon i happened to find the photoshop trick. what i do is i use the masking mode to select a "mask" and use a gradient stripe. then switch out of masking mode and you have your selection, and just use guassian blur from that point to a desired result.

i call this one "sim city" (although to be fair, an ANY iteration of sim city i never had houses that looked this nice...)