Salt Lake City in Miniature

Cody — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:36:34 +0000

Not too long ago I took my kids to a model train set convention. My kids, as almost all kids do, really dig trains so I figured they would appreciate the model train sets on display at the convention. While they did enjoy the model train sets, I kept my kids very close to me. Have you ever seen the folks at model train set conventions? Fat, greasy, social-retards are the norm. I thought, “Good grief, I don’t want my kids to turn out like these guys. Let’s get out of here.” I like the miniature look, though. Perhaps I can enjoy the same miniature model look to photos without rubbing shoulders with Grizzly Adams?

I have always been intrigued by the miniature effect that can be had through the use of tilt-shift lenses. Unfortunately I don’ t own one, though I am considering purchasing one, primarily for the infinite focus they provide for landscape photos. Perhaps I’ll rent one someday.

Anyway, I like the miniature effect, where a photo looks as if the subject was actually a scene from a model train set rather than of the real world. It’s a cool effect but won’t work on just any photo. I realized that I could get a very similar look through some Photoshop effects so I decided to head to Salt Lake City and give it a try.

I think Photoshop recreates the effect pretty well and I had a lot of fun trying to find subject matter that would look good as miniature. I’ll definitely give it another try sometime.

Salt Lake Temple at Dusk

Cody — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:32:50 +0000

This photo was taken on a trip to the Salt Lake Temple to shoot the autumn leaves with the temple in the background. Like usual, the original purpose for my visit was a complete waste of time as the leaves weren’t peaking at all, but the skies were looking pretty good. After looking for several different angles of the temple with the pool in the foreground, I ended up walking to this spot while on my way to a different location. I liked the angle of the temple with the clouds as they seemingly swirled around the spires of the temple, so I threw my wide angle lens on the camera and got close to the reflecting pool (I was practically up against it when taking the shot). I really liked the color of the dusk sky against the lit spires on the temple, though the barrel distortion of the wide angle lens is evident in the spires. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to capture the excellent clouds around the temple without that wide angle lens.

18mm, 4 seconds, f/11, ISO 100, polarizing filter

Cody Hatch Photography » Salt Lake Temple

Salt Lake City in Miniature

Salt Lake Temple at Dusk