Using miniature model cars and forced perspective, self-taught photographer Michael Paul Smith creates incredibly realistic street scenes in a fictional town he calls ‘Elgin Park’.
Smith, who is also a model maker and collector, has been building these scenes for the last 25 years. To create each shot, he carefully positions the cars and model props with the backdrop of the real world.
He then uses an ordinary $200 point-and-shoot camera and natural lighting to capture each scene—‘eyeballing’ the perspective to ensure that it’s properly framed.
“Keep everything in scale,” said Smith, describing the most important thing when creating scenes like this. “From the thickness of the shingles down to the wallpaper design and door knobs, everything must be in the proper relationship to each other. I can’t stress that enough.”
To find out more about his creative process, please read his interview at Fstoppers, or visit his Flickr page for more photos.
[via PetaPixel and Fstoppers, images via Michael Paul Smith]