A Terrarium is a simulated dry habitat like desert or savannah, deriving form the Latin word vivarium literally translated into English as "place of life". The photographs are taken from a specific angle and distance and this gives the effect of tilt-shift, without the use of a tilting lens, but distorted by mirage. A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. Tilt-shift photography refers to the use of tilt and a large aperture to achieve a very shallow depth of field, creating the illusion of miniaturization.

I shot these photos in Afghanistan during my service as a soldier there in 2007-08.The photographs are shot from a helicopter during a reconnaissance run.