10 beautiful tilt-shift photos of Japan

Philip Seyfi — January 2010

Tilt-shift photography is a special type of photography in which either a tilt-shift lens, or a post processing software, is used in order to simulate a miniature scene. Below is a selection of 10 tilt-shift photographs from Tokyo and the rest of Japan.

If you enjoy this post, you may also want to check-out my collection of Tokyo time-lapses and Japanese photo blogs.

Miniature figures in the snow, Sapporo by Smashcut

Tokyo Haneda International Airport by kanegen

Shibuya by zemoko

Tiltshift Shibuya, Tokyo by prawn crisps

Miniature Tokyo by Not Quite a Photographr

til-shif-train by sinkdd

Tokyo shift by eerkmans

Tilt Shift Osaka by montee15

Engaku-ji Temple by moogs5

crosswalk by torugatoru

+Philip Seyfi is a Russian new media developer, designer, and entrepreneur. He is the author of NihongoUp and co-founder of EduLift.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:

http://wearebearz.com/ James

Great post! I love the temple shot…
caughtredhanded

Very nice photos. I agree though, the temple is probably the best one.
http://bridgetbeaver.blogspot.com bridgetbeaver

these are gorgeous!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=707458994 アバドナスタージャ

Sugoi… totemo suki desu!
kumo

Wow, that train relly looks like toy. Cool!
More tilt-shift about Japan here:
http://dailykumo.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/miniature-japan-kawaii/
http://twitter.com/AlfieJapanorama Alfie Goodrich

I think you have some nice examples here. But, I must disagree with your statement:

“Tilt-shift photography is a special type of photography in which either a tilt-shift lens, or a post processing software, is used in order to simulate a miniature scene. ”

Fake miniatures are what you have here on your page, sir. Tilt-shift photography relies upon having a lens and shooting with a camera, IMHO. And it is for far more than creating miniature scenes. Tilt, shift and swing are the three movements available on some of the lenses that can be attached to 35mm or DSLR cameras. Some just have tilt and shift. Large-format cameras and any camera fitted with a bellows which allows movements; these cameras are also capable of front-plane alterations. These front-plane [the plane of the lens] movements create changes in the plane of focus and of perspective. On cameras capable of rear-plane [film or image plane] movements, the effects can be increased dramatically.

The software fakes whilst interesting are not tilt-shift at all. This is a popular misconception and something that has found its way even to the point of being apps for iPhone etc. Fake miniatures are one kind of picture you can do with a tilt-shift lens, rather than the name of the whole area of photography. Tilt-shift was the name picked up because it is a name commonly used to refer to what are otherwise called ‘perspective control or PC lenses.

No wish to get geeky or pedantic but working with large format cameras and cameras capable of selective focus has been something I have been doing since I was a kid. So, whilst I appreciate the fun that can be had with apps and Photoshop, this whole thing of calling these fake miniatures ’tilt shift photography’ can occasionally get me worked up enough to write verbatim on blogs like I am doing now. :-)

By the way, thanks for featuring my blog in your recent article about photoblogs in Japan.

Here are a couple of pieces I have written about using a selective focus setup on a Mamiya digital camera:

http://alfiegoodrich.com/2011/01/tokyo-tilt-shift-pt-1/
http://alfiegoodrich.com/2011/02/tokyo-tilt-shift-part-2/
- http://divita.eu/ seifip
  
  Thanks a lot for such an extensive reply! I am aware of tilt-shift lenses, that they have a wide variety of uses outside of the one presented above, and even had an opportunity to use one some time ago. I certainly agree with you that the use of this moniker to refer to the Photoshop tilt-shift effect is incorrect, but the term got into the language, and most people imagine “photoshopped miniatures” behind it, which is why I use it that way outside of photography forums. Thanks again for your reply, and for sharing your amazing photos with us!
Ishani shamika

watashi wa kono nihon no shashin ga dai suki desu.
Pingback: 10 moody genre photos of Japan | Japanese LinguaLift blog
http://twitter.com/jseb_92 Seb

nice pictures!!
Pingback: I want to learn | Efficient Times

10 moody genre photos of Japan

10 beautiful Tokyo time-lapses