Source/credit Pisa picture: Karra
It’s not an optical illusion; it just looks like one.
~ Steven Wright
Forced perspective is a photo trick that plays with size and distance to create mind-bending images. You’ve seen it before—someone “pinching” the moon, “holding up” the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or “squishing” a friend in the distance. It’s not Photoshop. It’s perspective.
What Is Forced Perspective?
Forced perspective is a visual illusion that makes objects appear larger, smaller, closer, or farther away than they really are. It works by carefully positioning the camera and subjects to exploit depth cues in human vision.
Filmmakers and artists have used this trick for decades, from The Lord of the Rings (making Hobbits look tiny) and advertising (using model cars instead of real ones) to viral travel photos on Instagram.
There are different kinds of illusions you can create with forced perspective. Besides making objects appear smaller or larger, you can also bend gravity and merge unlikely objects together.
How to Create a Forced Perspective Photo
You’ll need:
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At least two subjects (a person + a background object, or two objects)
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An open space (beach, desert, plain road, etc.)
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A camera with a live preview (phone or DSLR)
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Patience to line everything up just right
Tips:
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Distance matters: The farther apart your subjects, the easier to fake the scale.
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Align carefully: Use your screen to line up objects so they look connected.
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Avoid blur: Use a small aperture (f/8 or higher) and avoid portrait mode.
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Watch the shadows: They can give the trick away.
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Shoot low: A low camera angle can exaggerate height and depth.
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Uncluttered background: Make sure there are no other objects in the frame that will show the real size.
Credit/source: jessicaqvo
This image made at the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia shows how it is done. The ‘puppet master’ stands far in front of the ‘puppet’. Everyone is in focus. A complete void hides any clues of real sizes.
Sometimes these illusions are made accidentally.
Credit/source: Cheshix
If these images are created by accident, is it still forced perspective? Perhaps confusing perspective is a better term. The results can be quite hilarious sometimes, like this giant pigeon looking on at the man working.
Bending Gravity through Forced Perspective
There are thousands of variations of bending gravity illusions, but it usually involves flipping the image around, either upside-down or on it’s side. It almost always results in photos that defy logic.
Source/credit: Jason Lee
No decent parent would ever tape their little kids to a wall. Not even for fun. But Jason Lee is a professional photographer and knows that you can create these kind of photos with help of a little forced perspective. Taping your kid to the floor is a lot safer.
These type of illusions do not often happen by accident, or are not noticed if we never flip our photos 90 or 180 degrees. But here is a hovering cat:
Source/credit: Reddit
When you flip this image 90 degrees clockwise, it is obvious that this cat is sitting on the floor and staring at a wall.
Merging unlikely objects
With forced perspective you can also create unique images by merging unlikely objects together and give a second meaning. Like this beautiful picture where the photographer holds up a shell to ‘dress’ the lady on the beach.
Credit/ source: Carol Lisboa
Merger photos are fun to make and can be used for advertising purposes or to create unique images and art. However, some merger images are made by accident and probably ruin the intended take, but can have hilarious results.
Source/credit: Jade Coxon
This picture was taken by a photography student, who did not intend to have a seagull in it. However, the seagull’s perfect positioning probably makes this picture so much more fun, and definitely much more talked about than the intended picture would have. It even featured in TIME magazine which would probably not have happened if it had only 9 airplanes in it and no seagull.
And sometimes we just need a little help from Photoshop to get lovely merger pictures.
Source/credit: the coworker of idkmybffyossarian
Some ideas are just impossible to achieve naturally or accidentally. But there is nothing wrong with a little photoshop and calling it art. Scroll through our gallery of forced perspective illusions to get inspired!