Introduction to Creative Optics: Why Every Photographer Needs a Lensbaby Lens
Lensbaby Edge 80
Lensbaby seems to be the 2020 buzz word in the photography community. These fun lenses and tools have actually been around for many years, but it seems photographers everywhere are adding them to their collection in 2020 to expand their creativity while staying safe at home.
Lensbaby was founded of the premise of encouraging photographer to see in a new way. The lenses are designed to force you to think out of the box, let go over perfection, and break free of expectations. Whether you are looking to challenge yourself, break out of a rut, or simply bust up the boredom of shooting the same old thing, a Lensbaby is the perfect tool to add to your camera bag.
Lensbaby Velvet 28
Lensbaby Velvet 56
Velvet 28 & 56 - Named for their focal lengths, the Lensbaby Velvet 28 and 56 offer a dreamy, soft focus quality that becomes more pronounced at wider apertures. With a close focusing distance and a 1:2 magnification, the Velvet renders beautiful macro photographs as well as traditional wide angle images. I tend to prefer to shoot at a maximum aperture of f4 to retain some sharpness in my subject.
Lensbaby Edge 35
Lensbaby Edge 50
Lensbaby Edge 80
Lensbaby Edge 35, 50, and 80- The Edge series are my favorite of all the Lensbabies. Offering a tilt shift style slice of focus and a miniature effect when shooting from above, the Edge is whimsical, fun and easy to use. The Edge 80 was my first Lensbaby lens and has since been discontinued, but it remains my favorite to this day. I enjoy using the Edge with a wide range of subjects, but particularly for subject isolation.
Lensbaby Spark 2.0
Spark 2.0- The newest addition to my collection, this lens is an update to the original Lensbaby created in 2012. It offers a tilt shift effect with a “sweet spot” of focus with smudged style blur surrounding the focal point. Fitted with the Sweet 50 optic, it shoots at a fixed focal length of 50 mm and a maximum aperture of 2.5. This lens offers the biggest challenge to me, as I traditionally perfect a less obvious blur. However, I’m looking forward to expanding my creative thinking with this new toy!
Choosing Your First Creative Art Lens
If you want to step into the world of alternative optics but do not know where to start, consider these two distinct entry points:
The Velvet Series: Best if you love a vintage, painterly glow with a sharp central core. It is an incredibly versatile lens for macro details, flowers, and intimate landscape textures.
The Sweet Spot Series: Best if you want to experiment with variable focal movement, allowing you to isolate your subject in a crisp circle of sharp focus while surrounding it with beautiful, stretched motion blur.
Stepping away from clinically perfect digital lenses and learning to embrace intentional blur, light leaks, and organic movement is where photography transforms into fine art. If you are ready to break through technical constraints and explore alternative ways of seeing, let’s work together.
Through my Private Mentoring programs, we work one on one to build your creative confidence, while The Saltwater Retreat on the Outer Banks provides the ultimate real-time sandbox to practice these creative techniques alongside a supportive community of artistic women.
