fly me high, high up.

Tilt-shift photography. Or Diorama effect (sometimes it’s called).

Refers to the use of camera movements on small- and medium-format cameras, and sometimes specifically refers to the use of tilt for selective focus, often for simulating a miniature scene. (Wikipedia)

Some compact cameras, after Olympus first announced having this filter in EP-2, followed suit and introduced this mode as a special feature. It can be interesting, considering how you can make buildings, people etc look cartoon-ish. As if they are ‘ma-sak’ (toys).

“The process of achieving the diorama effect essentially works around shifting or reducing the depth of field in a shot,” explains Ben Thomas, a Melbourne-based photographer. “This can be done one of two ways; you can change the depth of field in the shot with a tilt-shift lens, or you can use Photoshop (or similar) to do the same thing, with a lot more freedom.

It’s not exactly easy to achieve the desired effect, but Same O’Hare, Aero Director/ VFX artist, produced The Sandpit – a time lapse, tilt-shift film of New York life (made up of over 35,000 stills in five days).

It’s cute The excellent miniature effect makes one wonder if these were real life photographs at all or not.

The Sandpit from Sam O’Hare on Vimeo.

Got inspired by a friend and rented a studio for a couple of hours at Cam2Rent last week. It was totally impromptu, and I managed to get A to be my model.

Professional lighting was set up for me and I got to use the studio’s Canon 5D Mark II. It was heavy, but awesome! Or was it the lighting. The photos look brilliant! Or maybe it’s just the photographer! Haha.

Aren’t they niceeeee…I’m quite happy with the shots. And this is my favourite of the lot:

Haven’t had time to upload most of my photos (analogue and digital) onto my photostream yet. Wait till I’ve got more free time….

I am into TTV – through-the-viewfinder photography.

Basically, you get a TLR (twin lens flex camera) and then use your compact camera or DSLR and shoot through the viewfinder. It’s not as easy as it sounds (I got misled too), cos there can be reflection off the viewfinder, and focusing can be a problem too. You would need to create a contraption like this to block out the light:

Anyways, my first successful attempt at Phuket Karon beach are as such (more here):

Look at some of the more professionally done TTV photograph I saw found online:

Don’t these put you in a dreamy mood already?

One more day to the long weekend for me!

When your day is no good or when PMS hits and you need something to soothe your mind and soul – check out etsy.

Etsy is basically the artsy fartsy equivalent of ebay.

You can subscribe to Etsy Finds and you get a mail everyday notifying you of the latest stuff/trends they have. Or visit Etsy Pick of the Day blog.

Check out some of the stuff I have seen in my mails lately.

Or, if you are into photography with a tint of vintage and whimsical mood, there are loads to please your visual soul:

via Squidart

via fidgetblogs

via bomobob

Taking photos is my passion, and of cos, the photos deserve a good spot in the room to get its fair share of attention from my occasional guests.

Got S to help me get this from Urban Outfitters in the States:

So my beloved lomo photos are displaying themselves proudly on the wall (in a corner):

And now I see this:

I want it too!

Ever since I bought my first lomo 120film Diana+ from Urban Outfitters 3 yrs back in San Francisco, I have fallen in love with analogue photography. Sadly, I can’t indulge as much as I’d love to, due to the high costs of buying films, developing negatives and sometimes printing too.

And speaking of films, 120 film is still rather common. Polaroid 600 films are like extinct..! The regular photolab I used to go to (for instant prints occasionally)  at TBP  has run out of stock!!! It was sadness until recently, The Impossible Project manages to revive the spirit of Polaroids! Have yet to make my way to 8storeytree to purchase the PX100 Silver Shade Instant Film. Will do so when I feel rich. I mean, richer.

Anyways, the point of this post is to feature the work of talented design student, Linna Xu. She re-designed the packing for Ilford 120 film in the form of a Twins Lens Reflex (TLR) Camera – one of the earliest cameras in history to use 120 films! What’s more apt than this right!

Furthermore, the packing doubles up as a pinhole camera. It provides full assembly instructions for people who simply love DIY. K, an ex-designer-colleague of mine, is one of those who is into hands-on assembly for cameras etc. Last I heard, he did up the Gakkenflex. Not bad I must say, I can’t even ‘gao dim’ the modification of my Konica Wai Wai. Loserish me.

Anyhows and anyways, check out the re-designed TLR packaging for Ilford 120:

Via thedieline.

..documents creative individuals’ lifestyles in the most original manner.

Really a visual pleasure here.

I first got to know this from J on FB. All the way from Melbourne  :p

Also, the project has manifested itself in the form of a book. Inspiring