OT: Real or Model?

I saw this recently:

Ian J.

Model - texture of pedestrian areas is too consistent?

Ian J. said the following on 10/07/2006 08:18:

Presumably if it was real you wouldn't be asking.

Probably real. There is a photographic technique which gives a very narrow depth of focus, producing the model-like effect you see here. No doubt it is possible to achieve the same effect using retouching software, but the photos on the site below were taken by a Japanese enthusiast relying solely on camera technique.

Dave Fossett said the following on 10/07/2006 10:03:

To go in completely the opposite direction, there is software available to give a very wide depth of field, which can have stunning effects on model photos. It can be downloaded at

Hi Paul,

Only a couple of dropper wires on the track, and a small patch of grass remaining out of focus to give it away. Helicon Focus would probably have fixed the grass, but HF is not free.

Just to convince you that it really is a model, here are a couple of ordinary pics of the same scene, made without CombineZ5:

regards,

Martin.

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In message , Ian J. writes

Real:

Definately 100% real. Taken from a helicopter above London and then edited/blurred in studio. Series of such photos were on BBC news website this morning. Sorry, don't have URL.

If it's real, I'm very impressed by how clean the roofs of the buses seem to be.

Andy

......further to my earlier post

Well, it's been Photoshopped, innit?

I've been rumbled! ;)

I got the piccie from the BBC website, as Dave Potter has seen, but thought others might like to see it to have a guess...

Ian J.