Homeschool Lesson #1: TILT SHIFT MAKER (Part 1)

The first time I heard the term “tilt shift” I thought it was a function on my computer keyboard. I have since come to learn that it can be one of two things: 1) the use of special camera lenses to create in-camera the optical illusion of miniaturization in a scene or 2) the use of digital post-processing programs to take an existing photo and make it appear to be of a miniaturized scene.

For the sake of this Homeschool Lesson, I will focus on one online post-processing program for your existing photos, but if you are really interested in learning everything there is to know about tilt shift photography including lenses, popular tilt shift photographers, etc., please check out this very comprehensive list of resources: http://hame.ca/tiltshift.htm.


Tiltshiftmaker.com is a free, fun, easy to use website that lets you upload and miniature-fake your photos. You don’t even have to register. Just go to the main page, upload the photo you want to make mini, play with the sliders (don't forget the Advanced Controls) and viola! You've got you're own new little wonderland.

I would actually suggest you start out on this page: Suggestions for Choosing a Photo. It will help you select the optimal photo to send through the shrinker.

Here is a before/after version of a photo from my vacation in South America last year.



I plan to play around with the website and to make it a personal goal this week to take a new photo specifically meant to be tilt shifted in post-processing.