Eiffel Tilt-Shift II

This is a tilt-shift fake.

For those who are interested, here is the depth-map that I created and fed to the lens blur filter and here is a shot of the various layers of the mask before assigning gray-values..

There's also a version in my photostream with the focus set on the École Militaire made from the same depth-mask.

March 2008: A nice fella named Martin has made a comprehensive tutorial on how to achieve this effect

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Comments

Eden and Josh says:

This tilt-shift fake is excellent. To me it seems that they work best with lots of people/cars and familiar landmarks.

I'd like to hear how you did it exactly with the layer mask.

Any interest in explaining it in a tutorial such as
recedinghairline.co.uk/tutorials/fakemodel/

Thanks
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

Hi Eden and Josh,

Thank you for the complements!

The depth map is basically a channel mapping the distance to each pixel. A dark pixel means it close and a light pixel means it's far away. The lens blur filter uses such a map to create a semi-realistic DOF effect.

To create the depth map I looked at "planes" in the photo. I considered only three types of planes:

a. horizontal planes (such as the ground)
b. vertical planes parallel to the line-of-sight (such as the wall of the box-cut trees)
c. vertical planes perpendicular to the line-of-sight (such as the front of the buildings.

I began with the ground because it's the easiest and is used to determine the gray-values for all the others. For that I just created a simple black-to-white gradient running vertically from the bottom of the picture up to the horizon. You can't see the horizon, but one can guess roughly where it is.

Then I started creating the layers for the planes of type c. I started at the front of the photo. The main rule I used was to create a mask for "tall" objects - because tall objects are further away from their background than relatively "short" objects - such as people or cars.

I started with the light poles. I created one solid color layer for each of them and then masked out each pole. While masking I kept the layer a distinctive colour, red in the case of the light-poles, as can be seen here. I didn't worry about the gray-values until later.

I then worked my way backwards through the photo, creating a solid color layer and masking all the key "c-type planes" - first the horsemen statues, the riverbank (purple), the big tree on the right, the tower itself, front-side walls of the box-shaped trees, the background trees, the École Militaire building, the background buildings and finally the high-rise in the back.

The tower itself is actually two different masks, one for the front-side facing towards the photographer and one for the rest. In the masking pic they're light-turquoise and dark-turquoise, respectively.

I then created one gradient for each of the sides of the box-shaped trees facing inwards to the field. The starting and ending gray-values of the gradient I determined by measuring from the previously created ground layer, measuring first at the base (important) of the front-most tree and then at the base of the tree furthest away. Now, when drawing this gradient one has to draw a horizontal line, to make the gradient stay vertical (it's less correct if the gradient is at an angle).

I used the same start and stop values for a gradient for the top of the trees, this time drawing vertically to get a horizontal gradient.

As the last step of creating the depth-map, I went through all the solid-colour layers I created earlier and assigned correct gray values. The way to determine a gray value for an object is to measure the ground gradient at the base of the object, since that determines the distance to the object.

Then I just copied a merge of all those layers to a new channel and applied the lens blur filter, pointing it to that channel. In the lens blur filter there's a slider to determine what gray values should be "in focus" - or you can just click on the preview picture to make that point be in focus.

The lens-blur filter doesn't handle the edges in the depth map very well, so afterwards, I had to use the blur tool and paint a little bit over the edges that didn't look right.

As a final touch I applied a little lighting effect filter to create an artificial look, and as an added bonus it made the center of the image look a bit overexposed as bright out-of-focus areas often are in macros.

I hope that's useful to someone :)

Edit:
Now, about making a proper tutorial with intermediate screenshots - I'd love to if I could muster the time someday, let's see if anybody else asks for it :)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Saskya says:

Oh yes I love this technique, yet I keep forgetting to play with it! This is fantastic!!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Eden and Josh says:

Thanks for explaining the technique. It's a lot more work setting the different DOF zones/planes but I like the result much better. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sediama (break) says:

fave fave fave !!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

AntiochOG says:

This is fantastic!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

jimmyd8466 says:

This is really amazing! Well done!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

_sarchi says:

with a tele looks good

--
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Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Willem_H says:

Incredible!!!~~
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mliebenberg says:

Well done!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel kool [deleted] says:

this shot is great it looks like a shoe box model
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

ida und bent says:

one of the best shifts i ever saw. fantastic.
.. got it from explore
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

vexed&confused says:

Your technique is one of the most sophisticated I've seen and it's certainly paid off here. I think you should be commended for sharing it too. Very well done!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

cp_odd says:

Wow- seriously cool shot. I think it's the detail in the tower that really makes it. It looks so clean and new and without depth- rather like it was cut from paper and assembled. Fantastic work!!!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Mabellevie says:

Intelligent work!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

wcm777 says:

Instant fav! One for my collection. Love the techique applied - perfect!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Hot Oyster Photography says:

V. cool indeed
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Red Giraffe says:

Great description of your treatment. More importantly a fab image. Well done :)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

No veo nada says:

te kedo fantastica...me encanto realmente...me la llevo

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Seen in Views: 1000 (?)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

nemoo says:

Wow, finally somebody on flickr who understands what faking dof is all about. Great stuff!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

lumi ® says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called DreamWorld: Amazing photos inside, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Unplug says:

Wow!

Now this is something different from the Eiffel Tower....

--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

broadcasterTR says:

Great.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

ModernCitizen says:

Stunning. Wow.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Johnie K says:

This is Perfect!

This photo has been selected for The Perfect Photographer Award
Please add this image to The Perfect Photographer, Award 2 Fave 2
And tag the photo with " The Perfect Photographer"
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

fotofreakske says:

Absolutely amazing

Absolutely The Perfect Photographer
You Deserve Another Perfect Photographer Award!!!
The Perfect Photographer Award
The Perfect Photographer(Invited Only) Awards 2 Fave 2
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

EMP Photography says:

Absolutely The Perfect Photographer
You Deserve Another Perfect Photographer Award!!!
The Perfect Photographer Award
The Perfect Photographer(Invited Only) Awards 2 Fave 2
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

Frederic D ( so busy ....) says:

Fantastic and thank you for the time you spent on explanations, very interesting
Absolutely The Perfect Photographer
You Deserve Another Perfect Photographer Award!!!
The Perfect Photographer Award
The Perfect Photographer(Invited Only) Awards 2 Fave 2
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

Gustavo (lu7frb) says:

pondage says:

EXCELLENT!!! Ausgezeichnet!!! Excelente!!! Eccellente!!!

>> MADAME EIFFEL <<

CONGRATULATIONS !!! >>> MADAME EIFFEL <<<
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

◄◄ ►► [deleted] says:

EXCELLENT!!! Ausgezeichnet!!! Excelente!!! Eccellente!!!

>> MADAME EIFFEL <<

CONGRATULATIONS !!! >>> MADAME EIFFEL <<<
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

tomhensr says:

One of the best tilt shift shots I've seen. Well executed.
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

BOESCH says:

I've sent many to see this flawless masterpiece you created. Brilliantly executed.
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

My ego thanks you for the great comments.
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

Lennard[DFPro] says:

Very cool!

This photo deserves a DIGIFOTO Pro Award, please join the group to compete for real prizes.
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

Melville B. says:

Excellent !

This photo deserves a DIGIFOTO Pro Award
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

JAVI TELECINE says:

Great shot
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

Mark (marbo) says:

One of the best tilt shifts i`ve ever seen. well done.
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

Zozman says:

Looking for examples of tilt shift, and this is one of the best I came across. Excellent work.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Love For Punk says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Creative Photography Techniques & Gallery., and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Bla Gayfer says:

Well executed ! I wanna try it.

--
[discovered in the photophlow main room] (?)
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

eastmeetswest says:

what a perfect picture to use - thanks so much for sharing the technique!
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

thyngum says:

Breathless!! .. I'd love to be capable of doing something like that!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

peter´s pics says:

great!!!!!!!!!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

LuRoGo ® says:

what it´s your system????? I want to learn...thanks
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

jpg-ana says:

so great! fantastic shot!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

@lurogo Check out my comment early in this thread for a description of the process.

@all thanks a lot for the kind comments!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

嘉莉-咖哩 says:

probably one of my favorite tilt-shifts ever... great job! you put so much hard work in this. unbelievable!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

Francesca Diletta Sala says:

Great This Shot i love this tecnique!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

B.Khands says:

Brilliant!!!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

jw_creations says:

Very cool technique - thanks for sharing!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

ck anderson says:

seriously cool!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Trax1 says:

a magic in appropriate hands! a work done, not just clicked a button in sw. this is one of my faves!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

herocious says:

Great image Hanna Maria & Arnar! Thank you for this shot. It has been included on The Open End, a collaborative blog that would definitely appreciate your participation, so if you ever feel like posting more of your photos or words for a wider audience, just create your own account on TOE today and start broadcasting.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

CUEVA2008 says:

He visto esta fotografía en tu galería y he pensado que quizás te gustaría participar en el reto sobre Tilt Shift que tenemos abierto en el grupo 6RETOS6.
Aquí te dejo el enlace:

www.flickr.com/groups/6retos6/discuss/7215761 3751759877/

Saludos.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

Simoné EUSEBIO -Olitax says:

Extrazaaaaa =DDD
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

crazmydredy says:

OMG!
that is really all i can say ...
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

scott w. h. young says:

intriguing technique
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

RHF .. says:

WOW .. amazing

Great focus
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

elinevbeek says:

love the colorful dots. beautiful picture!
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

kiko.man says:

Whoah ... this is an awesome tilt shift fake!
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

cheezorg says:

Great shot! Please add this to the Tilt-Shift Monuments! group:
www.flickr.com/groups/1099177@N21/
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

samuel t ludwig says:

I didn't read every comment. But I can tell you, this is not properly 'tilt-shifted' as you have titled. It's more of an example of an extremely fast lens. If this were indeed shifted you would have a plane that runs across the frame that is in focus. What you have is an area, based on the distance away from the subject, the eiffel tower.

So I just wanted to make clear is this a proper tilt-shift reproduction, no. But shallow dof super fast lens imitation, yes. You could generate such an effect in real life by using a telephoto lens, wide open, and stitch a panorama together that essentially covers the frame of view of a wider lens.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

Hey Samuel. You only get a plane in focus if you keep the focal plane parallel with some plane (e.g. the ground) in the image.

You can achieve a shallow DOF effect with a tilt-shift lens, you just tilt the lens donwards and then point the camera upwards. The focal plane is parallel with the film as you correctly point out, but you can easily make that plane cross-cut the scene so that only a small bit is in focus.

Vincent Laforet is known for his tilt-shift images (which are not faked, but produced with a real tilt-shift lens). Check this out:

www.nytimes.com/packages/html/magazine/200705 31_VINCENT_F...

But you are right, ultimately the objective is to simulate a very big aperture.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

samuel t ludwig says:

I've seen the video actually, and I'd say the one thing to learn from Vincent's work is that you don't have to limit yourself to a horizontal/vertical tilt. With that being said, as someone who has shot with a pc-e lens on numerous occasions, I have no knowledge of how to generate your eiffel tower effect.

The closest I could achieve is to tilt the lens down/up to the maximum amount, then adjust the shift so that the in focus bit is in the middle, framed on the top and bottom with out of focus bars.

The one difference between my theoretical shot and what you've generated, the feed of my tower would be out of focus, and yours are perfectly sharp.

I mean it's just a matter of process or effect in the end. Your process was to use Photoshop, thats fine you clearly state as much. But by stating it's a tilt-shift effect, well, that's not entirely accurate. Tilt-shift inspired, absolutely, but not technically 100% spot on true to real life in camera/lens work.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

shayneweltmerphotography [deleted] says:

what mm lens did you use for this picture?
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

@shayneweltmerphotography: I'll have to look in my exif data when I get home, but I suspect it was a Sigma 70-300 mm, maybe set around 100-150 mm.
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

@samuel_t_ludwig: Yes, I concede to your arguments. It is definitely true that I was really simulating shallow DOF, and probably it is not possible to do this with a T-S lens.
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

Chuck Sutherland says:

Interesting use of a depth map. You've taught me something.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

McNamara Images says:

Truly amazing!
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

Ingo Hellwege says:

uhhh... very nice... i am trying myself editing photos on my iPhone to get this result. works pretty good. great shot!!
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

mattyneil says:

this is so awesome! clearly a lot of work went into achieving this effect through your post processing, very inspiring to see what can be done with some photoshop skills
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

thearttrooper says:

A friend of mine makes these. Fantastic!
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

Neon Ibis says:

Simply awesome. And THANK YOU for sharing your technique with us. This rocks.
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

Juha Ylitalo (ylitalot.com) says:

Appearently this image has been copied to wautsi.com/2009/11/14/tilt-shift-menetelmalla -uskomattomi... (along with two images from Vincent Laforet and bunch of others) without any attribution to photographer and/or license.
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

@ylitalot.com: Thanks for the heads up. I'm writing them a letter now.
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

Dav Pan says:

Impresionante !
No hay otra forma de definirla.
Saludos desde Spain.
Posted 6 weeks ago. ( permalink )

bigjobbyx says:

hey man. I still often visit this photograph. I think you should add it to this group.

Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

ArnarBi says:

Thanks, posting now :)
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

fotoart1945 says:

beautiful. I made de same photo in the evening, see my stream

Seen in:

Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

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Taken on July 8, 2006
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