This is a photo I took using a tilt-shift effect, which makes real-life objects look like miniatures. Thought I’d share it here since it turned out pretty cool!
Why does it look like a tiny model?
Larkin said:
Why does it look like a tiny model?
That’s the tilt-shift effect. It adds blur in certain areas to make things look like miniatures. If you’re curious, I’ve got more on my Instagram.
@Xan
Just followed you! Love your photos—keep them coming.
Avery said:
@Xan
Just followed you! Love your photos—keep them coming.
Thank you so much! My goal is to post a new photo every couple of days this year.
@Xan
Wow, I’ve been trying to figure out this effect for years! Thanks for explaining it.
Lane said:
@Xan
Wow, I’ve been trying to figure out this effect for years! Thanks for explaining it.
Happy to help! You can do it too—try starting with photos from plane windows during takeoff or landing. I use Snapseed to edit: oversaturate, crop (I like vertical 4:3 right now), add blur, and adjust the vignette. The trickiest part is getting the blur transitions just right. Check out my Instagram for more examples!
@Xan
Saved your tips. Thanks for sharing!
Larkin said:
@Xan
Saved your tips. Thanks for sharing!
Glad it helped. Thanks for checking it out!
Looks awesome! Can I do this with my Mavic 3 drone?
Marley said:
Looks awesome! Can I do this with my Mavic 3 drone?
Definitely! I shared the steps in another comment here. And feel free to check out my Instagram for more ideas.
Nicely done!
Chen said:
Nicely done!
Thanks! Oh hey, didn’t you share that awesome video recently?
Chen said:
Nicely done!
Thanks! Oh hey, didn’t you share that awesome video recently?
Haha, yeah, that was me. Appreciate the kind words!
Wait… is this a real city or a model set?
@Xan
You’re really talented! You should try this with the Breaking Bad house—bet it’d look amazing.
Dustin said:
@Xan
You’re really talented! You should try this with the Breaking Bad house—bet it’d look amazing.
Thanks! Funny you say that—I’m planning an album of Breaking Bad locations. The house is tricky, though, because the owners don’t like visitors. They even put up a fence because of all the attention.
@Xan
That’s wild. I visited in 2012, and the owner was nice, but she mentioned people throwing pizzas on the roof. Sounds like it’s gotten worse since then.
Dustin said:
@Xan
That’s wild. I visited in 2012, and the owner was nice, but she mentioned people throwing pizzas on the roof. Sounds like it’s gotten worse since then.
Yeah, it’s the same owners. After the pizza incidents, they put up a big security fence. Now the house looks different, and they’re even trying to sell it for millions.
I love the way this looks.