Tilt Shift

I've been playing around yesterday with some tools that allow you to 'fake' the look and feel of a Tilt shift lens.

Lately the ability to change perspective with these lenses is frequently used to make real scenes look like toys or dioramas.

I ran through my library and tested it on a few random snapshots and this is the best I could come up with:

Mind you it was never taken with the idea of doing this sort of manipulation, so it's safe to say that it could be better if I were thinking ahead :-)

PS: I need to upload a higher res version to see the effect at it's best. Check back soon.

PPS: Swapped the image for a larger, better quality version

Antwerp Skyline

I find the boatwreck on the left a nice touch on an otherwise fairly boring skyline. The decay of an old port...

Cargo

A trip on the river gave me a different view on the city. I took a ton of shots, like this one and the one I posted earlier. The different perspective was a lot of fun.

I'll have to get back to this shot in the future and straighten the horizon, I didn't really notice until I saw it in this thumbnail. (Note to self: always do a squint-test).
It's also a bit dark, so there's plenty of work on this one...

Iron Giants

This one definitely still needs some work. For starters, the waterline is curved. I'd also like to make the cranes stand out more from the buildings in the background. The sky looks ok, but could maybe benefit from a bit more 'drama'.

What do you think can - or needs to - be done to improve this shot?

View from the office

Not a new photo - I took it a year or 2 ago with a Nikon Coolpix E4600 - but that's the view from here:

Lake Geneva

As with most of the pictures here, it's shot with a Nikon D90 and the 18-105mm kitlens. (set at F5.0, 58mm, ISO 200)

Golden Gate - again

I can't get enough of this bridge, hope you like it too:

Shot with: Nikon D90, Nikkor 18-105mm @ 18mm, 1/200s, f14, ISO 200. Poladroid-ed

Pier near Crissy Field 2

Shot with a Nikon D90 and Nikkor 18-105mm lens @18mm, 1/60s, f3.5, 1600 ISO , edited with iPhoto and Poladroid.

The Pier near Crissy Field

View of San Francisco

Sort of the reverse angle of the previous picture. You see the Bay Bridge in the background, Coit Tower to the right.

Hope you like it.

Shot with my Nikon D90, with Nikkor 18-105mm lens @ 58mm, 1/800s, f7.1, ISO200

Golden Gate

I know, there's millions of better pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge out there, but you can't come here and NOT take a bunch, right? I'll be shooting more on Saturday, from one of the best vantage points here. 

Shot with my Nikon D90 and Nikkor 18-105mm lens @ 42mm, 1/200s, f4, ISO200

PS I know the version here is a bit small to be fully enjoyable, but hang on and I'll try to fix it, or maybe repost a bigger one soon.

Seagull

Nikon D90, Nikkor 18-105mm @ 80mm, 1/320s, f9, ISO 200

Brown Seagull

Nikon D90, Nikkor 18-105mm @ 105mm, 1/250s, f8, ISO 200

Riga

Just a test, checking to see if everything's working as it should. This picture was actually taken 2-3 weeks ago in the City of Riga, Latvia.