How to Make Tiny Town Miniatures!

This gallery demonstrates a process known a "Fake Tilt-Shift" carried out in PhotoShop or other image editing software.

After a mere two weeks of playing with the creation of these miniatures, I don't imagine I've become an expert yet. However, I took the opportunity to share what I'd learned with my camera club, the Camera Club of Ottawa, and since I had done the work to prepare the slides I'm posting them here for anyone's benefit. What follows are a few examples of the results of applying the technique and then subsequent to that I've included a short demo of how to create a miniature using PhotoShop CS. Please see the captions underneath each image for accompanying instructions.

I also have a separate gallery where I am adding my own creations over time. Please see TinyTown - (Fake Tilt-Shift Images).

This process has nothing to do with tilting or shifting anything. The name is derived from the fact that there is an in-camera technique that has been around for awhile for creating similar effects using a lens called a tilt-shift lens. We are using PhotoShop to create fakes; hence the name Fake Tilt-Shift.

Basically we are reducing the depth of field to create an illusion that the photograph was taken on a tabletop using model railroad miniatures or similar objects. The process tends to work better on scenes where there is a downward angle on the subject. It is through my Kite Aerial Photography that networking colleagues made me aware of this technique, pointing out that certain of my images might make a good "fake tilt-shift" image. However, the techinique is not limited to aerial shots, and not necessarily to shots where there is a downward view. The example I've chosen to demonstrate with, the train lines next to Vancouver harbour, is a compromise. It is not an aerial shot, but it is taken from the raised elevation of the adjacent promenade.

Click on the small images or click "Next" above the main image to advance through the show. You can view any of the images even larger by passing the mouse over the main image and selecting a larger version from the pop-up window.

Now go to the captions underneath each image for explanation of each slide.

If you would like to have this information all on one page to print out, I have put the same demo on my blog.

There is a Flickr group called Tilt-shift Miniature Fakes devoted to these types of images and discussion by their creators. You might get additional ideas for your own Tiny Town images if you take a look through the group's photostream.

There are other tutorials and articles around on this subject. Here are a few examples:

• Tilt-Shift Photography Photoshop Tutorial - this is the tutorial I used initially
  
• Tilt-Shift Photography - Jacob's Photography Tips and Tutorials
  
• Fake Tilt Shift
  
• Fake Model Photography
  
• Model World