Have you ever wondered how to get an effect like this?

You could buy a special tilt-shift lens -- if you have a thousand bucks to spare. Or you could get a rubber plunger, some glue, and a few bits and pieces and create your own flexible lens.

In the video below from Make magazine, you'll get a crash course in creating your own tilt-shift lens. If you'd rather take your time reading a how-to, see our companion article, "Build a Tilt-Shift Camera Lens for Peanuts."