Tilt and Shift Movements-Part II

Recap : Last month you read about the basics of tilt/shift movements and their effect on images. You also looked at various types of equipment that can offer movements. In this concluding part you can read how tilting and shifting the lens can solve specific photographic problems and also add artistic effects.

- Ashok Kandimalla

Applications using tilt:

Increasing DOF: This is based on what is called the Scheimpflug Effect. This states that if the focal plane and the lens plane are tilted such that they intersect each other and if the plane of focus (also called subject plane) when extended passes through this intersection point, you will get a vastly increased zone of sharp focus! Ok, that sounds a bit complicated but really not so. Just look at Pictures 1 and 2.

Creating a wedge of focus

Tilt and swing movements can be used to get only a wedge of correct focus. This is often used in product and fashion photography to emphasize just a small area by keeping it in sharp focus while the rest is blurred (Picture 5).

The tilt operation can also be used to produce a band of sharp focus in a landscape photography, to create the socalled ‘miniature’ effect (Picture 6).

Applications using shift