Digital Photographer - UK (2020-01)

Minimise depth of field for miniature faking

Experiment with

diorama effects

Also known as miniature faking, the idea

behind this is that you photograph life-size

subjects and scenes but make them appear to

be models or miniatures.

The easiest way to achieve this is by

shooting with your lens at its widest aperture,

so depth of field is minimised. Doing so throws

much of the subject or scene out of focus,

which creates the illusion that it has been

photographed from close range so must be

small. Lenses with a maximum aperture of

f2.8 or wider will give a decent effect. However,

tilt/shift lenses are far better, as you can

shoot wide open with reverse tilt applied to

reduce DOF to practically nothing. A cheaper

alternative is to use a Lensbaby, which only

has a small ‘sweet spot’ while everything else

is thrown out of focus.

Left

Aerial view

Setting the

maximum aperture

helps to keep the

shutter speed high

when shooting

from an aircraft

Far left

Take to the sky

This aerial shot

was taken from a

helicopter, with the

lens at its widest

aperture and

focussed on infinity

Far left

Fun of the fair

selective focussing makes life-

size subjects look like miniature

versions of the real thing

Middle left

Model village

you can create diorama effects

quickly and easily using a

Lensbaby attachment

Left

By the seaside

use photoshop to create miniature

effects – select an area, invert it

then add Radial Blur

9

10 pRo Ways To use apeRTuRe

Minimisedepthoffieldforminiaturefaking

Experiment with

diorama effects

Alsoknownasminiaturefaking,theidea
behindthisisthatyouphotographlife-size
subjectsandscenesbutmakethemappearto
bemodelsorminiatures.
Theeasiestwaytoachievethisisby
shootingwithyourlensatitswidestaperture,
sodepthoffieldisminimised.Doingsothrows
muchofthesubjectorsceneoutoffocus,
whichcreatestheillusionthatithasbeen

photographedfromcloserangesomustbe

small.Lenseswithamaximumapertureof

f2.8orwiderwillgiveadecenteffect.However,

tilt/shiftlensesarefarbetter,asyoucan

shootwideopenwithreversetiltappliedto

reduceDOFtopracticallynothing.Acheaper

alternativeistouseaLensbaby,whichonly

hasasmall‘sweetspot’whileeverythingelse

isthrownoutoffocus.

Left

Aerialview

Settingthe

maximumaperture

helpstokeepthe

shutterspeedhigh

whenshooting

fromanaircraft

Farleft

Taketothesky

Thisaerialshot

wastakenfroma

helicopter,withthe

lensatitswidest

apertureand

focussedoninfinity

Farleft

Funofthefair

selectivefocussingmakeslife-

sizesubjectslooklikeminiature

versionsoftherealthing

Middleleft

Modelvillage

youcancreatedioramaeffects

quicklyandeasilyusinga

Lensbabyattachment

Left

Bytheseaside

usephotoshop to create miniature

effects – select an area, invert it

then add Radial Blur

9

10 pRo Ways To use apeRTuRe