And now for a non-dictionary of photo terms:

Tilt-shift: not the crazy-legged move we bust on the dance floor.

Selective focus: not the clever strategy used against parents.

Maybe we’re better off referencing our pal Bhautik’s incredible guide to tilt-shift and DIY lenses! It’ll teach you all sorts about tilt-shift, like -

What the heck is a tilt-shift lens anyway? (A lens that can tilt and shift its planes to focus selectively and make the subjects in your photos look miniature, too!)

Isn’t tilt-shift only for 19th Century men with pointy mustaches, cloaks, and large, fancy cameras? (No! Anyone with an SLR can do it!)

Can’t I just fuzzy out parts of my photos using Photoshop? (Yes, but the real thing is so much more fun. PLUS, you can make videos, like this miniaturized San Francisco vid!)

Where do I get one? (Make your own, it’s easy! 3 tutorials teach you how to make your own plunger- and bendy-cams for about $10!)

Now, select your focus and tilt n’ shift til the cows (photos) come home!

Selective Focus: An Illustrated Guide to DIY Tilt-Shift
[Bhautik's Selective Focus Gallery]

p.s. Bhautik is a Research Engineer at Industrial Light & Magic (Lucasfilm!!) and the guy who wrote those amazingly popular plunger-cam tutorials!

p.p.s. The Selective-Focus guide is also available in print via Magcloud.

Photo credits: Bhautik Joshi

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