Tilt-shift photography: Learn how to create mini photos.
Tilt-shift photography is a popular genre. Learn how to create photos that look like miniatures.
Many manipulation genres exist in photography, and one that’s more popular is tilt-shift photography.
What is tilt-shift photography?
This style of photography, also known as miniature faking, is a technique that makes a life-sized scene appear miniature. Tilt-shift photography can be done either with a special lens or in post-production with a program like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom.
How does tilt-shift photography work?
When shooting with a tilt-shift lens, the position of the lens changes so it’s no longer parallel to the camera’s image sensor.
This creates a depth of field where both the background and the foreground are blurred and the plane of focus is shifted, producing an effect where the eyes view the narrow portion that’s in focus as something small. This is why tilt-shift photos look miniature.
Have you ever seen a photo where a city looks like a mini model on display? That’s the effectiveness of mastering tilt-shift photography.
Here are a few examples of subjects that can benefit from being shot with a tilt-shift lens or edited to give it that effect.
- Cities
- Stadiums or arenas
- Landmarks
- Architecture shots where you want to eliminate perspective distortion; this is when the tops of tall buildings look narrower than the bottoms
Gear.
If you want to shoot tilt-shift photography, you’ll need a couple of pieces of equipment.
- Tilt-shift lens, also known as a perspective-control lens.
- Tripod. You want to be able to eliminate blur as much as possible.
Creating tilt-shift photos in post.
If you don’t want to invest in a special lens for tilt-shift photography, you can edit your photos to have the same effect.
The process takes some practice and can be a bit more time-consuming but just as effective. There are several options available through photo-editing software such Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, or you can find online tutorials to teach you what you need to know.
Frequently asked questions about tilt-shift photography.
What does tilt-shift do on Instagram?
If you’re familiar with Instagram’s editing features, you may have seen the tilt-shift option. Like a special lens, this editing tool blurs the background and foreground.
You can also download apps to edit photos shot with any smartphone. Search for “tilt shift” in your app store and start experimenting.
What types of shots make good tilt-shift photos?
Not every photo will be able to have the appearance of being miniature. Here’s what makes an effective tilt-shift photo.
- A photo that’s shot from above but not directly overhead. This angle is necessary for the right effect. Try to shoot from at least 10 feet above.
- A photo where the subject is sharp and in focus.
- A subject that could be a toy — such as a boat, train, or plane — will also make a great subject for a tilt-shift photo.
