Though the technique isn’t new in photography, I hadn’t noticed it before in video or film. The tilt / shift effect when properly applied renders selected sharpness to a fairly narrow band of a scene causing radical soft focus in both the foreground and background. This combination soft focused fore and back plus the higher high camera placement combine to create the effect of miniatures.

I was curious about how to create the effect in still images and I found a ton of information online. There is even a Flickr group dedicated to the effect. After browsing the many how-to’s, the method I settled on was pretty easy to do in Photoshop.

I did have a hard time finding a suitable image to work with from my own image files. The effect works best when the camera is at a higher elevation than the subject and the subject is pretty much centered in the shot. Also nice to have are strong vertical elements to lend height and scale. Without going into an extensive search, I found this image:

After opening the file in Photoshop, I determined where I wanted the central focus to be in the image – what element would I isolate. Then I clicked the “Quick Mask” mode (on the tool palette, that’s the darker rectangle with the white circle in it towrd the bottom).

Then I selected the “Gradient” tool and in that tool’s control panel I selected the “Radiant Gradient”. Placing the cursor at the point I wanted to have in sharp focus, I clicked and drew a line straight up to the top of the frame. A red gradient mask appeared over my image.

After creating the mask it was time to get out of Quick Mask mode and back to standard edit (on the tool palette click the other rectangle with the light background and the white circle). Then all I had to do was select Filter/Blur/Lens Blur and a editing box opens up. From this point move the sliders back and forth to create the strength of the effect that you want. For my example a blur radius setting of 58 worked the best:

(Click the image to see a larger view)

After creating the blur effect you want, click OK and you’re finished! Crop the image if you think it will help, plus boosting contrast and color saturation can add a more surreal miniature world feel to the image too. Play with the effect, adjust it to your own taste and have fun!

How about a quick review for those not familiar with green screen photography? The idea is that a subject is photographed in front of the green screen. The screen’s deep green color makes it easier for the software to find it and eliminate it thereby cutting the subject out of the photo ready to paste them onto any background you desire. Most movies that use live actors in highly dangerous situations film the actors safely in front of a huge green screen and then lift them out and place them in the dangerous background which is shot separately.

Lots of sci-fi shows use this trick – from 1967’s Star Trek TV show to 2010’s Avatar. Almost every weather man stands in front of a green screen and then he or she is digitally cut out and projected onto the animated map.

Now with the Westcott Green Screen Photography kit anyone can use this technique for fun and creativity.

The main ingredient is the CD-ROM which contains the PhotoKey 2 Lite software package and 100 stock backgrounds. The software deletes the green background from the image and then allows the user to select and position a new decorative background in place. It really is very easy, minimal computer skills are required. Check out the video on Westcott’s website.

There are endless possibilities. Make greeting cards, scrapbook pages, posters for walls. Shoot a whole series and have the pictures made into photo playing cards. Or simply shoot your Paris vacation pictures without ever leaving home! Here’s a thought, scan in some really old photos and add yourself to the picture.

Beyond the backgrounds included in the kit, it’s possible to create and use your own. One customer uses the system at school dances. In advance, she creates several backgrounds based on the theme of the dance. Then she shoots the kids in front of the Green Screen and lets them pick the background they want to be on. Two minutes later she hands them a 4X6 print made with her Canon Selphy CP780 along with instructions on how to order more copies.

Another green screen user shoots products for a catalog. He uses the green screen kit so that he can add exactly the right background color required by the catalog company.

Westcott Green Screen Photography Kit $69.99

I resolve to back up my image files regularly using DVD’s and portable hard drives.

I resolve to carry a camera with me as often as possible. (No, camera phones don’t count)

I resolve to actually send my DSLR in for a clean, lube and adjust this year. (It’s free with my Mack warranty for Pete’s sake…)

I resolve to share my pictures more often through prints, web pages and emails.

I resolve to enter three photo contests.

I resolve to teach a new technique to at least four other people.

I resolve that when I’m with other photographers I will talk less about equipment and more about the images they have taken. Alternatively – talk less, shoot more.

I resolve to grow new eyes – meaning I’ll force myself out of my comfort zone and shoot fresh subjects from new perspectives.

I resolve to occasionally shoot with film, even if it’s with my Holga.

I resolve to download and format my memory cards every month.

I resolve to improve my camera skills so that I don’t have to use Photoshop unless I want to.

I resolve to keep my lenses clean and my battery charged.

I resolve to keep my gadget lust under control… Who am I kidding, that ain’t gonna happen.

I resolve to frame and hang on my walls three new photos that I have taken.

Lastly, I resolve to NOT review last year’s resolutions so this year can be a clean start.

On Monday I began a review of the Promaster EDF flash series. Touching on the smaller models first, I reviewed the 2500EDF and the 7200EDF. Today we move up to the two larger and more powerful flashes in the series.

The next step up is the 7400EDF. With the 7400 Promaster has added a number of refinements that make this a standout flash. First, the power moves up to a 120 Guide Number – 20% more powerful than the model 7200EDF and almost twice the power of the 2500EDF.

Power is a good thing, but controlled power is even better. The 7400EDF has been given a motorized zoom head that allows the flash to adjust the distance between the flash tube and the diffuser screen as the camera’s zoom lens is adjusted. The wide setting on the flash’s zoom matches the view of a 17mm lens. A separate snap-on diffuser widens the coverage even further to match a 12mm lens.

The flash head tilts from -7 degrees by click stops up to 90 degrees. Priced at $169.99 the 7400EDF is a true workhorse flash featuring good power and convenient operation.

The top of the line 7500EDF can be described with one word: “More”. More power (138 Guide Number), more features and more control. Right out of the box the differences are evident. First, the 7500 series features an LCD panel that is used to adjust settings and check function. There are more controls on this flash; everything from curtain synch to multi-strobe effects can be dialed up and put to use.

On the front of the flash, just above the hot shoe is a secondary, smaller flash used as a fill light. A long time ago another flash maker called this a “wink light”. The purpose is to add just a small amount of forward flash while using the main flash in bounce mode. This tiny extra flash adds nice catch lights to the subject’s eyes and lessens shadow under the chin and brows. The small fill flash can be turned on or off at the photographer’s discretion.

The motorized flash head has the same coverage as the model 7400EDF, but now the head not only tilts it swings left and right too. With the swing motion it is possible to use the flash in bounce mode while shooting vertically oriented portraits.

The 7500 series flash is heavier but still fairly compact for its power and features. The flash attaches to a camera with a metal foot making the connection more stable and reliable.

In use the Promaster EDF flash units all fit and function as expected. On Canon and Nikon cameras there was a tendency for the flash to creep enough that contact was lost with the camera, but only if the lock knob wasn’t tightened enough. The light output was very precise and repeatable in both auto and manual modes (manual power output on 7500 series only). Battery doors were a little finicky to open and close, but no more so than camera branded flashes. At $249.99 this flash is a steal.

The coverage when using wide angle lenses on digital cameras matched the spec sheet information. Without any added diffusion any of the flashes covered a standard 17mm wide angle setting with ease.

The 7400 and 7500 motorized flash heads were slightly louder than the branded flashes when activated but I didn’t find it objectionable. The main complaint I had was that the negative flash bounce (-7 degrees) on both the 7400 and 7500 had no restriction. It was easy to push the flash head down and miss level winding up with negative angle to the flash. I got in the habit of pushing the head all the way down and then pulling it up one click.

And I need to make clear that the Promaster flashes won’t work with either Canon’s or Nikon’s off-camera flash TTL exposure systems. For that functionality you need to spend the money on the camera branded flash.

I did have occasion to update the firmware in a flash purchased 18 months ago so that it would work with the newer Canon 50D. The firmware update is handled by a Promaster trained store or by Promaster themselves. Looking over the shoulder as my flash was updated proved interesting. The technician spent 20 minutes getting my flash updated and the process is definitely NOT consumer friendly.

When I asked about the complexity I was told that in order to maintain the widest possibility of future compatibility the person doing the update must have full access directly to the firmware code. From what I saw, the guy earned his $20.00 fee.

To wrap up, the Promaster EDF Flash series offers great value, future compatibility and great features for almost any photographer. With four flashes to choose from there is bound to be one that will fit almost any need.