Tilt-shift photography is a disorientating photographic trick which makes real-life photographs look like pictures of tiny models. In a year's time, you'll be sick of it.

How does it work? It's a surprisingly effective optical illusion. When the centre of an image is in focus and the rest is blurred, the brain takes an extraordinary leap - deciding that you are looking at a tiny model of the image in question. It's very hard to convince yourself that it's actually real life. Figures look like crudely-cast lead models, and buildings look like they've been cut out of polystyrene. It's even more effective when done on video - with tiny toy cars driving along [that second link is to a Quicktime movie].

How is it done? Either the hard way - by mounting the camera lens on a set of specially-made bellows like the $270 Lensbaby range. Or the easy way - with a handful of commands in Photoshop .

What is it for? Well, not much. The photosharing website Flickr is full of tilt-shift pictures which are good for thirty seconds' gawping. The real surprise is that nobody has taken it mainstream. It was used in a Thom Yorke music video last year, but it's likely to pop up in plenty of ad campaigns this year.

Pictures from Flickr in the gallery above:

Ryiadh Car Show by Kaloypahanon

Colliseum by Roger Twong

Liguria by Buteijn

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