The way this works is that you take a picture and make it look like a macro image by creating depth of field by blurring certain parts. Playing with curves to create contrasty and bright images helps the illusion of making your items looks like they are fake.
EDIT: To help clear up confusion, you may not do any partial selections in this contest. Having a low depth of field and high contrast will aid in creating the "toy" look for your photo. Your subject does not need to be a toy itself but must share some photographic characteristics (ie. bright, contrasty colors).
The purpose of this contest is to make something appear "toy like." Photographing an actual toy is not allowed (although it may be in the composition of your shot so long as it is not the focus). A perfect example of this would be making a wide angle shot of a zoo appear to be a toy model through the use of depth of field and high contrast. Selective blurring/editing is NOT allowed.
rbsgrl: Surely it is just me, but I don't quite understand this. can anyone explain a bit more clearly or maybe I can just wait til some entries are posted? ( 5 years and 2923 days ago )
kyricom: It doesn't specify in the theme itself, but should we assume from the title that the subject has to be a child's toy? Or, is my boat my toy? I also agree with rbsgrl... it isn't supposed to be a macro, but we're supposed to make it look like a macro? Could we get a little clarification, please? Thanks ( 5 years and 2923 days ago )
VisualVerve: I understand clearly, playing with curves , creating an image full of contrast, what makes it LOOK like a toy and make it LOOK macro... while it's not
( tilt-shift is able to do so) ( 5 years and 2923 days ago )
kyricom: tilt-shift makes things look like toys, but it doesn't make things look like a macro. I think that may be where the confusion is. ( 5 years and 2923 days ago )
Artifakts: Strange choice of ... ( 5 years and 2923 days ago )
riady: If it's tilt shift contest, will we be allowed to do partial selection on Photoshop as general rule says, "you are allowed to all adjustments which act on the whole picture and on exactly one picture (a.k.a. non selective editing)" ? ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
rbsgrl: What is tilt-shift?? ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
kyricom: Yoo hoooooooo, mods? May we have some clarification, please? ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
TankRed: A tilt-shift is basically a lens that allows you to adjust your lens's perspective without moving your camera. For example in practical use, when you use a wide angle camera and take a picture of a tall tower in front of you, it tends to lean backwards, with a tilt shift, you can make so that the tower appears to be straighten (I don't actually own a tilt shift I just watched a video about it).
It can also selectively focus in a way that you can make small subjects in a photo appear as miniature action figures (just search up miniature photography on google images). You can also selectively focus on Photoshop by blurring specific areas (I dunno how to do it).
Obviously I don't think you need a tilt shift lens to do this contest as those things can cause over $1000 (I personally don't see the practical use in them). But I think the mods should make it clear on what is allowed in Photoshop for this contest since this seems to need more of the use of photo editing than other contests. ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
Contest Moderator: To help clear up confusion, you may not do any partial selections in this contest. Having a low depth of field and high contrast will aid in creating the "toy" look for your photo. Your subject does not need to be a toy itself but must share some photographic characteristics (ie. bright, contrasty colors). Because this is a difficult concept to understand and photograph I will be rather lenient on the submissions (just try not to get TOO off topic). ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
k5683: yeah uhh, still confusing! ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
m0nm0n: i think the best clarification is to post a sample .. but i don't know how to post sample without being in the contest .. any help posting a sample !! ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
m0nm0n: simply:
take a shot for example for your city and try to make it looks fake (as if it was a toy) ( 5 years and 2922 days ago )
"you may not do any partial selections in this contest" ( 5 years and 2921 days ago )
friiskiwi: So it would be O.K. to photograph a toy?? ( 5 years and 2920 days ago )
Contest Moderator: The purpose of this contest is to make something appear "toy like." Photographing an actual toy is not allowed (although it may be in the composition of your shot so long as it is not the focus). A perfect example of this would be making a wide angle shot of a zoo appear to be a toy model through the use of depth of field and high contrast. Selective blurring/editing is NOT allowed. ( 5 years and 2920 days ago )
WYSIWYG: Pls add an example, explanation is still very vague..
"wide angle shot of a zoo appear to be a toy model through the use of depth of field and high contrast"
A small DOF in a wide angle shot without using photoshop (to create the toy result), is only achievable with a tilt-shift lens. We're mostly amateurs here who cannot afford 2000euro for a tilt shift lense... ( 5 years and 2920 days ago )
solkee: Unfortunately most of the images appear to have selective blurring done to achieve the final result, which I would assume is not allowed. ( 5 years and 2920 days ago )
m0nm0n: for me it should be done by editing the photo .. i don't know why the moderator added that !! ( 5 years and 2919 days ago )
Contest Moderator: Selective editing is strictly not allowed in these Photography contests (this includes selective blur). If you are unable to achieve this effect without the use of Photoshop it is recommended you stick to other ways of making a picture look "toy-like" (such as through the use of bright colors, high contrast, angles, etc.). ( 5 years and 2919 days ago )
m0nm0n: i can see that my entry was deleted for using photoshop .. but as i can see that most of the entries used a program for applying the blur effect ... please moderators revise all entries again =S ( 5 years and 2919 days ago )
WYSIWYG: Mine can be deleted now its clear that use of PS is not allowed to add blur. But like mOnmOn says, there are a lot more!! ( 5 years and 2919 days ago )
Contest Moderator: Any entry submitted after 2000hrs GMT Friday 11th November will be removed. ( 5 years and 2915 days ago )
Howdie stranger! If you want to participate in this contest, just:
well done.
Great!
Well done, nice to have the right toys.
congs...
Howdie stranger!
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