Recreating the Past with Model Cars and Forced Perspective

 

For the last 25 years, Michael Paul Smith has used model cars, forced perspective and custom-built miniature displays in real-world settings to create Elgin Park, Smith’s version of a mid 20th century American town

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and currently living in New England, Smith’s model-making skills are the accumulation of numerous jobs he has had including: textbook illustrator, wallpaper hanger, house painter, and architectural model maker.

Shot at the right distance and perspective (forced perspective), Smith brings his 300+ collection of vintage die-cast model cars (1/24th the size) to life, blending them seamlessly into both the miniature sets he has built and the surrounding outdoor landscape.

Smith then adds filters in post production to give the images that nostalgic look and feel. The project has led to a 144-page hardcover book entitled, Elgin Park: An Ideal American Town and is available through Prestel Publishing.

If you’re interested in learning more about the behind-the-scenes process, be sure to check out this great interview on Fstoppers. To see more of Elgin Park, check out Michael Paul Smith on Flickr.

[Fstoppers via PetaPixel]