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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Tilt/Shift Photography
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 02/27/2009 02:42:46 AM · #1
I always thought that the purpose of tilt/shift lenses were to avoid distortions - particularly for architectural photography. So when standing on the ground taking a picture of a high rise, you can make it look like your position was half way up (if desirable) so that the building does not look distorted. I have never tried it however so I obviously don't know what I'm talking about.

But now I see that there are a bunch of links devoted to this 'style' of photography. The pictures almost look like they have been taken with a lensbaby since they appear to only be focused at the subject or towards the center of the shot.

Does anyone here have experience with tilt/shift photography as a style? Is it an area worth exploring?
 02/27/2009 02:55:35 AM · #2
I may be mistaken but I think this is what people use (who have the money) to create a "miniature" look to their photos.
 02/27/2009 03:05:07 AM · #3
Originally posted by Blue Moon:
I may be mistaken but I think this is what people use (who have the money) to create a "miniature" look to their photos.
ala Vincent Laforet. I sat in on a workshop that he did a while back, and he had some really cool examples of his "miniature" stuff. Check out his SPORTS section for some miniature & style T&S work (very weird looking racetrack & tennis shots).
 02/27/2009 03:05:43 AM · #4
Originally posted by Blue Moon:
I may be mistaken but I think this is what people use (who have the money) to create a "miniature" look to their photos.

I googled a little and it seems that this may be the secondary use of a tilt/shift lense. I guess the advantage lies in its ability to make it look as you are a giant looking down at the scenery at the same time as you create a shallow DOF.

This explains it fairly well

Would be interesting to have a challenge called "Miniature faking" or something like that. The objective would be to create a miniature looking setting based on real life. Basic editing.

ETA: typo

Message edited by author 2009-02-27 03:06:45.
 02/27/2009 03:37:34 AM · #5
The most interesting use of T/S lenses, IMO, is, that you can have your focal plane other than parallel to your sensor plane (Scheimpflug principle):
look here
02/27/2009 04:06:02 AM · #6
Originally posted by eyewave:
The most interesting use of T/S lenses, IMO, is, that you can have your focal plane other than parallel to your sensor plane (Scheimpflug principle):
look here


Right, you beat me to it. That is, in fact, arguably the PRIMARY purpose of a tilt/shift lens for most people. The exception being architectural photographers. You can get SERIOUS, radical DOF at apertures that optimize lens sharpness. The problem with small-format, WA lenses is if you stop 'em down enough to get extreme DOF you lose sharpness due to diffraction through the very tiny apertures. F/16 or f/22 on a WA lens is a TINY hole compared with, say, f/32 on a 200mm... Plus the general way you can have a selective plane of focus through multiple subjects (thing studio product shots) from near to far.

It's the latter principle that people are flip-flopping to produce the "miniatures" effect, where they are reverse-tilting the lens to create selective and extremely narrow DOF.

R.
 02/27/2009 04:07:34 AM · #7
Originally posted by eyewave:
The most interesting use of T/S lenses, IMO, is, that you can have your focal plane other than parallel to your sensor plane (Scheimpflug principle):
look here

This is very interesting and gives a lot of possibilities... Here is the Scheimpflug principle explained in pictures.
 02/27/2009 05:43:18 AM · #8
I rented a T/S lens at Adorama in New York last week to do some "miniature look-alike" photography and "lensbaby-style" street photography. It's great fun to play with a T/S lens, so go ahead - rent one and have a go yourself!

Note that un-distortion of buildings can just as well be done in photoshop, and so can the fake miniature look-alike effect. BUT: the latter is slow and boring in photoshop, whereas it is fun and spurs creativity when done in real time :)

02/27/2009 05:56:49 AM · #9
Funny I was actually toying with this miniature faking tilt shift effect for this months free study, inspired by Vincent Laforet's pictures. Just wasn't getting anything I liked :( Maybe next month!
 02/27/2009 11:06:09 AM · #10
Originally posted by johst582:
Note that un-distortion of buildings can just as well be done in photoshop....


This is only true up to a point: the photoshop perspective control, when used against "keystoning" (the usual problem) makes buildings VERY squat, whilst the T/S lens does not...

R.
 02/27/2009 11:09:01 AM · #11
Does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to use tilt/shift lens to maximize DOF?
 02/27/2009 11:10:56 AM · #12
Originally posted by maggieddd:
Does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to use tilt/shift lens to maximize DOF?

move the plane of the lens away from the subject
 02/27/2009 11:13:56 AM · #13
Originally posted by ralph:
Originally posted by maggieddd:
Does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to use tilt/shift lens to maximize DOF?

move the plane of the lens away from the subject

sorry, what do you mean by that? How? I need step by step tutorial
 02/27/2009 11:16:24 AM · #14
Originally posted by maggieddd:
Originally posted by ralph:
Originally posted by maggieddd:
Does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to use tilt/shift lens to maximize DOF?

move the plane of the lens away from the subject

sorry, what do you mean by that? How? I need step by step tutorial


//www.tiltshiftphotography.net/photoshop-tutorial.php

Message edited by author 2009-02-27 11:21:47.
 02/27/2009 11:19:11 AM · #15
Originally posted by maggieddd:
Does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to use tilt/shift lens to maximize DOF?

I typed "TS LENS TUTORIAL" in google and it came up with this tutorial:

Tilt/Shift DOF tutorial

ETA: The link also includes an online DOF calcualtor

Message edited by author 2009-02-27 11:21:20.
 02/27/2009 11:23:16 AM · #16
Originally posted by maggieddd:
Does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to use tilt/shift lens to maximize DOF?


Short version: if the plane of the sensor, the plane of the subject, and the plane of the lens all intersect at the same imaginary point, every part of the subject will be in focus.

IN other words, camera on tripod facing receding wall. Extend line of camera back mentally until it intersects line of wall, tilt lens so its plane intersects that imaginary point, and entire wall will be in focus. This can be done visually through the viewfinder, btw...

R.
 02/27/2009 12:54:47 PM · #17
would be fun to play around with a tilt shift lens. too bad they are so darn expensive.
 02/27/2009 01:04:43 PM · #18
Originally posted by k4ffy:
would be fun to play around with a tilt shift lens. too bad they are so darn expensive.

I felt a sudden urge to change my signature :)
 02/27/2009 02:12:12 PM · #19
Originally posted by TrollMan:
Originally posted by k4ffy:
would be fun to play around with a tilt shift lens. too bad they are so darn expensive.

I felt a sudden urge to change my signature :)


:-D
 02/27/2009 03:42:49 PM · #20
Originally posted by johst582:
Note that un-distortion of buildings can just as well be done in photoshop, and so can the fake miniature look-alike effect. BUT: the latter is slow and boring in photoshop, whereas it is fun and spurs creativity when done in real time :)

Nah, it's quick and easy ... ;-)
Originally posted by Learn > Tutorials menu:

How To Create Miniature Scenes using Photoshop


In a fashion similar but not identical to the tutorial, I use gradient selections to define my "plane of focus," and apply Gaussian Blur through those selections:
02/27/2009 03:44:23 PM · #21
You can also use tiltshiftmaker.com
 02/27/2009 03:51:10 PM · #22
GeneralE: You should use "lens blur", not masked gaussian blur. It works OK, but a real T/S lens is better and more fun. For one, photoshop's lens blur produces a very distinct border between the non-blurred "perfect focus" area and the blurred part. To reduce this effect, you can increase the resolution of your pic by 3-4x, then do lens blur, then reduce down.
 02/27/2009 04:03:09 PM · #23
This thread is quite opportune for me, as I was thinking of starting one on the same subject. on Wednesday night at the photography club I go to, the speaker was a landscape photographer who often works with tilt-shift lenses to good effect. I was impressed with the phenomenal dept of field he achieves, as well as the perspective.

The physics/maths of this type of lens completely go over my head, and I think it will take an awful lot of effort for me to try to get to grips with the theory, but I will persevere, and maybe some day I will get the chance to try out one of these lenses!
 02/27/2009 04:13:36 PM · #24
Originally posted by johst582:
GeneralE: You should use "lens blur", not masked gaussian blur.

Lens Blur isn't available in Photoshop 5.0 ... ;-)

Next time I'm experimenting with this technique I'll try it at work where I have access to everything.
 02/27/2009 04:44:56 PM · #25
Original:


Edited:


I tried the tiltshiftmaker out. That was pretty cool.

Message edited by author 2009-02-27 16:45:51.
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