Luca Lacche is an Italian photographer who splits his time between Treviso/Venice and Lake Maggiore in Italy and Austin, TX. A long-time Lensbaby user, lately he’s been working on a portrait series (selections from which are included in this blog) as well as various other photography projects.

How did you first discover Lensbaby?

I saw and tried my first Lensbaby in Venice – some of these UK guys I was shooting with had it. I didn’t have a clue about it but it made me curious. Not much later I got mine, a Lensbaby 2.0 (precursor to the Muse & Spark). It was 2006.

What are your favorite lenses/optics and why?

The Single Glass Optic. I like the subtle glow on objects. A ‘vague eye’,  diffused but not much, it’s got its own kind of ‘sharpness’ even not being as sharp as the Double Glass Optic. The Plastic Optic is usually my other choice, especially with the Composer.

(photos above taken with Single Glass Optic)

What inspires you?

The atmosphere/mood of a place, of a day, that’s what triggers the need to make an image. The Lensbaby always helped me to get what I wanted from a subject…inspiration to get that object in that particular way, and the Lensbaby is always tuned with that – never found a similar interaction with any other lens.

(photo above taken with Plastic Optic)

What do you like most about being a photographer?

Expression…being able to express myself and communicate with the images, and the way they’re taken.

(photo above taken with Plastic Optic)

What do you think makes a great photograph?

A mix of things, but a feeling mostly. A great image just knocks you out at first sight, but that depends on the viewer’s eye and the mind behind. An image that hits me says absolutely nothing to someone else – and vice versa.

(photos above taken with Single Glass Optic, model: Patty Castagnera)

Most of your Lensbaby imagery is beautiful but mostly devoid of people. What made you decide to shoot this particular series of portraits?

I’ve always meant to create images as a way of personal expression – a vision, a dream, a hint to things and feelings, mostly in a surreal way. I never cared about what’s ‘real’, real life, real objects, real colors, real perspective. The subject doesn’t count much, the way the object is seen and described (better, hinted to) is what matters.

With this portrait series I wanted to do something different – expressing a person was the priority, finding out about Lensbaby’s capability to express a personality, telling somebody’s story – from just a face, hands, earrings. I had a good feeling about it, and in my opinion it just…worked. Patty very much recognized her ‘true self’ in this photo series – and that’s what I wanted to achieve in the first place.

(photo above taken with Single Glass Optic, model: Patty Castagnera)

To see more of Luca’s work, visit his site. 

Photographer and educator Nancy Balluck deconstructs shooting with a Lensbaby lens in a tricky lighting situation with the added challenge of fast-moving subjects.

What I Used:

1. Nikon D7000
2. Lensbaby Scout
3. Sweet 35 Optic
4. Metadata: ISO 1600,  Shutter Speed 1/100, Aperture f/4, Overexposed by 1/3 of a stop, Center-weighted, Continuous Shooting Mode
5. Lots of patience and complete concentration!

How It Came Together: 

Having the opportunity to shoot Cleveland’s Verb Ballet dress rehearsal, I wanted to experiment using the Lensbaby to see what it could do under some extreme conditions, both lighting and movement. For the first half of the ballet, I tried using the Muse and the 50mm Double Glass Optic on a tripod.  My fingers weren’t fast enough to manipulate the Muse and most of my shots came out completely blurry.  Plus, I was too close to the dancers to use the 50mm Double Glass Optic.

1. When the lights came back on in the theater during the break, I changed to the Scout and attached the Sweet 35 optic, which gave me more of a wide angle and I could optically cover more of the stage.  Since the Scout does not bend, it gave me the advantage of pinpointing exactly where I wanted my sweet spot to be, dead center.  (The dancers moved too quickly to allow me to bend and focus a lens like the Composer Pro.)
2. I took my camera off of the tripod to give me a quicker response time, increased my ISO to 1600, my aperture to f/4 and my shutter speed to 1/100 at +1/3 of a stop to get an exposure that worked most of the time. 
3. Stage lighting constantly changes in both temperature and color (gels) as the dancers move around the stage.  The dancers can be brightly lit in one spot and then be in the dark seconds later as they move to another area of the stage. 
4. Not taking my eye from the viewfinder, it took several minutes to anticipate where the dancers would be next, focusing quickly while adjusting for exposure by reading the light meter inside my camera.
5. It was also helpful having my camera set to continuous shooting mode to increase my chances of getting one of the shots in focus.
6. I was sitting left of center stage and as luck would have it, the dancers moved right in front of me, to the back of the stage, which was more dimly lit.  They paused for just a moment and I fired off three quick shots resulting in this particular photo. 
7. In post processing, I converted this shot to black and white, using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.0, to eliminate the bright green background behind the dancers and to add drama of light and shadow to the photograph.  In Photoshop CS6, I used the Levels Adjustments.

Be prepared to get a lot of over or under exposed shots when shooting in this type of environment. Be patient and shoot hundreds of frames, while adjusting for your exposure. I was very pleased with several of my ballet shots, using the Lensbaby, and this shot in particular. I really like the fluidity of their arm movements and the feeling of motion created by the angles of their bodies. 

To see more of Nancy’s work, visit her site here.

Laura Evans is a fine art photographer currently based in the U.K. who is inspired by her infant son, traveling, the great outdoors & all things pretty.  An English stay-at-home Mum & a military wife married to a Cali boy, her friends & family, sarcasm, running, books & vintage cameras are among the things she values most. She first discovered her passion for photography at age 17 and has since achieved a photography degree from Leeds Metropolitan University, worked as a sports photographer & run a successful portrait business along the way. Now she is focussing her passion on her first love…fine art photography. Laura’s work can be found on etsy and her blog.

When & how did you first discover your passion for photography?

The short version was it was just something I realized I wanted to do when I went to college at 16 and over the past, um, “several” years I have studied it, gotten a degree, taught and photographed people, motorbikes, food and the paralympics. Now I am doing what I love (fine art photography) whilst being a stay at home mum and going wherever uncle sam feels the need to take us (which is currently back to little old England). I have done many things along the way but have always returned to photography and feel it is a part of who I am and I would be lost without it. 

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic)

How did you first discover Lensbaby? What was your first Lensbaby lens, and what lens or optic is currently your favorite?

Honestly I am not sure where I first discovered it but I had been coveting one for some time when my husband went TDY (temporary duty assignment), leaving me with a 14-month-old little boy for a week and the purchase saved my sanity! My first lens was the Composer Pro and my current favourite optic is the Edge 80 though I am trying to experiment with the others and step out of my comfort zone. 

(photo above shot with Edge 80 Optic)

Your Edge 80 Venice photos are just lovely. What made you choose to shoot with that optic on this trip?

I purchased both the Edge 80 and the Sweet 35 when I got my Composer Pro (I am indecisive like that) and took them both with me to Paris a couple of weeks later. I tried shooting with both but couldn’t get what I wanted from the Sweet 35 on that trip. I continued to shoot with the Edge 80 & it quickly became my preference so when I went to Venice it went without saying that I would shoot the majority of my vacation with it. I find the Edge 80 perfect for wandering around a city, it creates a “slice” of life and I feel it gives that missing something to much of my work.  

(photo above shot with Edge 80 Optic)

What is your favorite Lensbaby image (or, top 2-3 if you can’t pick just one!)?

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic)

This is one of the most recent images I took of my son…I wanted to focus on him and the moment, and not technique so the Sweet 35 was the perfect “tool”. Have you ever tried photographing an over active 2-year-old using only manual focus? I feel that this optic allowed me to capture some of who he is as well as his “physical” self. 

(photo above shot with Edge 80 Optic)

Also, this image of the beach with the quote…simply because it says so much about my life right now. I feel blessed to have a wonderful husband, a beautiful son and I am doing what I love…no one can take that away from me!

(photo above shot with Pinhole Optic)

Any tips for photographers new to Lensbaby, manual focus, etc?

If you have issues shooting manual or with manual focus then this is not the lens for you. It takes a lot of practice, when that sweet spot is a little off there is no saving the image. Be prepared for a lot of frustration but know that when you get it right it’s perfect! I do believe the Lensbaby isn’t for everyone but it can give you that extra something in your work and it’s perfect for having fun. 

(photo above shot with Double Glass Optic & .42x Super Wide Conversion Lens)

Kathleen Clemons is a New England based photographer living on the beautiful coast of Maine. Primarily a nature photographer, she is known for her creative use of natural light, her unique and stunning compositions, and for her mastery of all things Lensbaby. Her work is represented by FogStock, ChromaZone Images, The Jaynes Gallery, Corbis and Getty Images. 

What I Used:

1. Canon EOS 5D Mark III
2. Lensbaby Muse
3. Lensbaby Soft Focus Optic
4. Special multi-holed aperture disk that comes with the Soft Focus Optic, the one with the smallest center opening, which supplies an aggregate aperture of f/4.8
5. F/2.8 aperture disk stacked on top of multi-holed aperture disk
6. Overcast, cloudy day 
7. Metadata: ISO 500, Shutter Speed 1/800 sec 

How It Came Together:

1. I shot this photo last summer at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine, one of my favorite places to photograph flowers. 
2. It was an overcast day, which supplies wonderfully soft, even lighting for photographing flowers. 
3. What initially attracted me here was the contrast between the one Coneflower in a sea of pink Phlox.  I am always on the lookout for contrasts, curves and color in my photos, and this scene had them all.
4. The Coneflower was also in pristine condition, so important when you are creating flower portraits. 
5. The Phlox was a good distance behind the Coneflower so I knew I could isolate the one flower and softly blur the background. 
6. I chose my Soft Focus Optic because it consistently provides the look I want when I photograph flowers.
7. The aperture disks I chose allowed me to get the definition I wanted in the Coneflower while softly blurring the rest of the photograph. The special multi-holed disk enhances the softness of the Soft Focus Optic. Dropping the f/2.8 on top of it covers a few of those holes, toning down the softness to just the right amount I was looking for in this image.
8. Adding the +4 filter from the Macro Kit allowed me to focus closer to my subject. (I always have both the +4 and +10 in my pocket when I am photographing flowers.)
9. I shot several different compositions, verticals as well as horizontals, and this was my favorite. 
10. This photo required very little post-processing, a little selective lightening on the Coneflower petals in Photoshop and I was finished. One of my favorite things about photographing with my Lensbaby lenses is the lack of post-processing I need to do with my photos.

See more of Kathleen’s imagery here.

Clint Milby, as they say, has a lot going on. An accomplished producer, Milby is also a regular contributor for magazines such as HDVideoPro and ProVideoCoalition.com. Additionally, he is the publisher of HDSLRShooter.com, and CorpseLoot.com.  He has worked for Warner Bros Television, the Academy of Arts & Sciences, and is the founder and CEO of Milby Media.

In 2012, Milby wrote the chapter on DSLR filmmaking for our book, Lensbaby, Bending your Perspective by Corey Hilz. For more info on Milby, visit his site. 

When & how did you first discover your passion for filmmaking?

My inspiration came from the same source as many people in my generation: Star Wars. Actually, the first time I saw it, I wanted to be an astronaut. However, after a tour of NASA, which looked more like the inside of an insurance company rather than a space agency, I realized quite quickly that traveling through hyperspace could only be achieved in Hollywood. From that moment on I became obsessed with all things production, which peaked when my Dad bought a video camera for me in high school. I went on to major in production in college, and I’ve never looked back. 

How did you turn that passion into a viable career?  

And that’s the real trick of it, isn’t it? I mean, everyone loves the entertainment industry. Our culture (and perhaps the entire planet) is obsessed with it. How we make a living doing it separates fans from content creators. For me, it was taking whatever means I had and bending those paying opportunities into production opportunities. No matter what jobs I’ve done, I’ve always attempted to infuse them with video production. While working in Hollywood, I started as a tour guide for Warner Bros. Studios. I used that job to move into production. When I found myself working in marketing, I made video content a key focus of our marketing efforts. Unless you’re born into it, working in production may require transplanting one’s self into a different environment to find opportunities. I’ve done some of that. I’ve moved cross country to be where the action is, but I’ve also taken paying opportunities I’ve had that were outside the industry and manipulated them into opportunities to do production. It’s not easy, but it beats working for free!

(photo above shot with Fisheye Optic)

How did you first discover Lensbaby?

I came from the video world. Even in college, we didn’t shoot Super 8 Film, we shot Hi8 Video. My experience with film was limited to a photography class I needed for a fine arts credit. It was the Canon 5D Mark II, and its video capabilities that transported me out of the realm of fixed lens cameras. The first thing I noticed when I started shopping for different lenses was the price. A big point of shooting video with a still camera was the cost was far less than shooting with a RED or other digital cinema cameras. This sort of gets blown away when you start buying glass that can cost ten times more than the camera body. Then I started noticing these brightly colored boxes on display at the stores. Just from the packaging they didn’t look like the other lenses, and they weren’t priced like the other lenses. Once I saw what these little gems were capable of, I was hooked, and I’ve stayed hooked ever since. 

What was your first Lensbaby lens, and what lens or optic is currently your favorite? 

My very first Lensbaby was the Composer, and my favorite optic for it is still to this day the Double Glass. It gives you a kaleidoscope of colors around your subject. The Double Glass Optic captures light in such a way as to shatter it into shards that stretch and shrink depending on your angle. This can be highly accentuated by moving the Composer around to give a kinetic view to your shot. If your subject is brilliantly lit, then you’ll get a light storm that mimics hyperspace. If you only get one optic for shooting film, I say go for the Double Glass. You won’t be disappointed.

Any tips for filmmakers new to Lensbaby?

Lensbaby is more than just a single lens, it’s a new visual vocabulary. What you’re able to accomplish visually will be outside of your experience. There are subtleties such as the softness of the single glass or the razor sharpness of the double glass that require exploration to discover and implement into your visual vocabulary.  With that in mind, take some time before your project to familiarize yourself with the Lensbaby system. Take some test shots. Shoot both stills and video so you know how each medium is affected by these lenses. The more time you take to get to know them, the more effectively you will be able to use them on your projects. 

(photo above shot with Double Glass Optic)

What types of scenes, themes, and storylines do you find best suited to being shot with a Lensbaby lens? 

This is a tough question because I don’t want to place a limit on what someone else with a different vision might see. With that in mind, the visual world through a Lensbaby is surreal. Light and shadow are distorted in such a way that is unfamiliar to the viewer. This provides the filmmaker with freedom to create an other worldly environment that looks striking and different. I’ve seen this executed quite well for flashbacks, dreams and POV shots where we are seeing through the eyes of a character who may be drunk, drugged or dazed. However, because they produce this “other worldly” effect, I can see them being used whenever the filmmaker is creating a strange world, such as space, heaven, other dimensions, other planets etc. 

What inspires you visually?

I’m really nearsighted. I’ve always been nearsighted and like other people with this condition, my close up or macro vision is much more powerful than someone who sees 20/20. I didn’t get glasses until I was 15, so I guess I became fascinated with little items close up. This is something that still motivates me. Some people will see a doorway as a grand arch, I’ll look at the same door and see the tiny details of the hinges. The more intricate and contrasty, the more interesting it is to me visually. 

(photo above shot with Edge 80 Optic)

What’s some of the best video or film work you’ve seen done with a Lensbaby lens?

The best use of the Lensbaby system I’ve seen is probably the television series, Revenge. The show features a lot of flashbacks and altered states, and the Lensbaby system helps to create that sort of ethereal experience. Even when it’s being used in the present day sequences, the Lensbaby system has been masterfully used to show the decadence of some of the more wealthy character’s lives, most notably the Double Glass Optic. By contrast, when they aren’t being used, you feel a definite grounding, establishing that this person is focused and clear. This resonates with the audience I think because it really does help differentiate between the different worlds of the social and financial elite, and the girl with a very clear and concise purpose to bring them down.

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic)

What do you foresee as the future for DLSR filmmaking?

After the release of the Canon 7D, there was about a 16 month period where we didn’t see any new video enabled DSLRs from Canon or from anyone else. Instead, there was a number of large censored video cameras. As each one hit the market, the press was quick to dub them, “The HDSLR Killer”. The following year, Canon released the 60D, the C300, the 5D Mark III, the 1DX, the 6D and so on and there is no indication they will curtail production any time soon. I think camera manufacturers, as well as companies making support products for these cameras, realize what many of us have known from the start: the price and versatility of the video enabled DSLR make it easy for anyone from a rank amateur to the seasoned professional to capture feature film quality at a price that everyone can afford. Because of this, more people are shooting now and more content is being created than ever before, and this has empowered anyone with a vision and a little money to create without bounds. And that’s something I don’t think it will be going away anytime soon. 

To see more Lensbaby usage in video and movies, visit our movie studio. 

Caroline Jensen is a photographer living in rural Minnesota. She sees portraits most often in black and white, and favors color for landscapes. She is an avid Lensbaby shooter and a Mentor at Clickin Moms.

When & how did you first discover your passion for photography?

I have always loved art, especially the Dutch master painters, like Johannes Vermeer. It was a great source of anxiety for me when I couldn’t draw or paint very well. Early on, photography didn’t interest me because I didn’t feel I could be creative enough with it. I was under the impression that deep depth of field was preferable and that didn’t feel natural for me. Film was expensive too, so I pretty much gave up on the idea in college.  In 2009 my interest in photography bloomed when I discovered that DSLRs had lenses with shallow depth of field and you could post process in Photoshop. My husband sold his motorcycle so I could buy my first DSLR. I am forever grateful to him for that. I have been inseparable from my camera ever since.

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic)

How did you first discover Lensbaby? What was your first Lensbaby lens, and what lens or optic is currently your favorite?

I saw my first Lensbaby at Imaging USA in 2010 I think. I had a great time playing with the lenses at the Lensbaby booth. I tried to convince my husband that I needed a Lensbaby right then and there, but I had just upgraded a lot of gear that year.  Had I known then what I know now, I would have bought everything there on the spot! 

I finally was able to purchase a large kit from Lensbaby last summer.  I purchased the Sweet 35, Edge 80, and Macro Converters. In all honestly, those lenses propelled me to where I am today. They filled a void that even my very expensive glass couldn’t fill.  I love the organic and imperfect and my voice was found when I first tried those lenses. I spent the summer capturing everything and fell more in love everyday.  It is hard to pick a favorite. I honestly use all three lenses every week. If I had to choose one, I guess it would be the Edge 80. I love that it can work as a normal lens when not tilted and it gives me the most options as a walk around lens, especially when I can extend the front and get in closer. That is a great option!

(photo above shot with Edge 80 Optic)

What inspires you photographically? 

Art, music, movies, and poetry are my biggest inspirations outside of my children. My daughter has been my constant companion since I got my first DSLR. She was the one who allowed me to pester her while I learned the exposure triangle and she continues to work with me to create concept art. 

Your style is quiet, dreamy, with lots of muted colors, yet also very powerful. Have you developed this style of shooting and editing, or did it just come naturally?

It came naturally after Lensbaby. Honestly, the perfection found in the really expensive glass hindered me. I couldn’t get the softness and emotion I really loved. I love to create my vision in camera if I can and just enhance it in post processing. I think my style was born out of years of studying nature and art. Life is chaotic and those two things are my retreat. I want to create images that reflect how I want life to be and not necessarily how it is. 

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic)

What are your favorite Lensbaby images?

My favorite images are the ones I took while my daughter was getting ready one day. When she saw them, she said that she felt like a princess. It made my heart smile to hear that she loved the way she looked on just an ordinary day. I didn’t have a very good self image as a child and I hope that I can show her how beautiful she really is. 

(photo above, left, shot with Sweet 35 Optic – right shot with Edge 80 Optic)

How do your kids feel about being the subject of your photographs so often?

My boys are less enthusiastic, but my daughter is always willing to help. She often colors or draws concepts that she would like to do. We also work out feelings though images.  Some people journal, we take pictures.  My boys do like to be in images when they have something to share and my oldest likes to have new images for Facebook quite often, haha! I try very hard not to push them to “perform”. When they are the subjects I hope they feel that they are in control of the process and like the outcome. There is no better feeling than to see my kids beam in happiness when they see an image of themselves. 

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 & Macro Converters)

Any tips for photographers new to Lensbaby and manual focus?

Use the lens a lot. Not just once a week, but use the lens that you are learning every single day. It is very hard at first, especially if you are used to auto focus, but it really does become second nature after a while. I think that using the macro converters is probably the best way to learn to manually focus. I grew by leaps and bounds when I started doing regular macro work. 

Click here to see more of Caroline’s work.

Many photographers prefer working in natural light. Most would shy away from a harsher, midday sun, but Lensbaby optics can often be fairly forgiving in harsher lighting situations by smoothing out and melting away hot spots. Portland Photographer Destiny Lane talks about how she uses the Composer Pro with Double Glass Optic to create compelling portraits with natural, midday light.

What I Used

1. Lensbaby Composer Pro
2. Double Glass Optic
3. High noon sun
4. Metadata:  ISO 100 – Shutter Speed 1/400 – Aperture 5.6

How It Came Together

1. I really like contrasting colors, so the red dress was perfect for the summer greenery of Sauvie Island.  I knew there would be an overwhelming amount of space to work with, and most of it looked the same, so I used the Double Glass Optic to draw attention to my subject and to soften the rest of the image.
2. I had my aperture set at 5.6 because it’s perfect for close or mid-range portraits in cloudy or sunny conditions.  Its depth of field is just right for the subject to be totally in focus, and still shallow enough that you’ll get blurring in the background and in the foreground.
3. I was pretty close to the subject, squatting on the ground in front of her allowing for the tall grasses to enter the frame from the side and the bottom, placing the girl within the left third of the image just where the sky opens up to draw focus to her face.
4. I tilted the Composer Pro left, and then upward to grab focus on her head and upper body.  I wanted her to be in focus, and absolutely nothing else.  With the aperture set at 5.6, I was able to do just that, blurring the grasses that were in the line of focus, but too close to the camera to be sharp, and allowing the blue sky far behind her to blur into the trees.
5. It is always hard to photograph people with natural expression.  Little girls always want to smile for the camera, so I thought I’d try a different approach.  I got in position on the ground to frame my shot, then asked her to walk along the grass, only to gaze at the camera when I called her name.  It worked out perfectly.
6. I played with the tone and saturation in Photoshop to achieve the final color of this image.

See more Lensbaby portraits here.

Kathleen Clemons is a New England based photographer, living on the beautiful coast of Maine. Primarily a nature photographer, she is known for her creative use of natural light and unique, stunning compositions, along with mastery of all things Lensbaby. Her work is represented by FogStock, ChromaZone Images, The Jaynes Gallery, Corbis and Getty Images. Below she talks to us about tips for shooting in the cold, wintery months.

Where and how do you find beautiful things to photograph in winter? Are there certain kinds of subject matter you seek out? 

I truly believe that there is ALWAYS something to shoot.  If I go more than a few days without photographing something, I start having withdrawal symptoms and only shooting can make them disappear! In winter, it’s a little tougher to “see” subjects, and it’s also a little harder physically.  But – snow simplifies scenes, so lines and shapes in nature can be more apparent, and ice adds fabulous textures to surfaces so it’s well worth bundling up and getting outside. 

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic)

In early winter, we often don’t have snow, but there are still wonderfully curled and dried leaves, berries and seeds and bare branches. I am drawn to curves in my photography, so the fantastic twists and curves of dried leaves are a favorite subject. Shooting early winter frost is always a favorite too.

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic + Macro Converters)

Sometimes there is a wonderful “clash” of seasons created by an early snowfall in late fall, or a late season storm in early spring. I love shooting the contrasts in colors and textures those clashes provide.

If it’s just brutal outside here on the coast of Maine, I can always go to my stockpile of nature subjects to shoot inside, such as shells, rocks, seeds, leaves, feathers…I collect items year round and shoot them inside with available light when I can’t shoot outside. And of course, you can always shoot plants and flowers inside and I do that often in winter.

(photo above shot with Double Glass Optic + Macro Kit)

What technical tips can you share for shooting (with Lensbaby and other lenses) in the cold?

• If you are photographing snow, you need to remember to use +1 to +2 exposure compensation to get the snow white and not the gray your camera wants to make it.
• A spare battery is always a good idea as cold temperatures drain batteries rapidly.
• Shooting early in the morning or late in the day is great for capturing long shadow lines and shapes on snow covered ground.
• Early morning is best for shooting frost, especially early in the season.
• Look for contrasts in colors and textures, and pay close attention to lines too.

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic)

Is there any special camera gear you bring with you on a cold wintry shoot?   

I don’t go very far when shooting in the winter, most of my shots are taken on walks around my yard and neighborhood. So, I’m not lugging around lots of gear, usually just one lens. 

Any specific clothing, gloves, or non-photographic gear that you find essential for shooting in comfort this time of year?

I wear two pairs of gloves when I shoot in the winter. The first is a pair of thin gloves, the second is a mitten/fingerless glove combo which I wear on top of the thin gloves, keeping the mitten part over my fingers in between shots. I also keep a spare battery and some hand warmers in my pocket.

 
(photo above shot with Soft Focus Optic + Macro Kit) 

(photo above shot with Sweet 35 Optic + Macro Converters)

Want to learn more about Kathleen’s Lensbaby photography and see more images? Check out our Pro Spotlight post too!

It’s our birthday – we’re celebrating nine fantastic, exciting years on 2/22! Check out the video we made in honor of the occasion – a little glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes at our Portland, Oregon, HQ.

We’d also like to say thank YOU for making the last 9 years so amazing – we couldn’t have done it without you! So – pay VERY close attention as you watch, we’ll be giving out copies of our new book, Bending Your Perspective by Corey Hilz and 5×5″ bamboo panels with c-type prints from our friends at Plwyerk to three commenters who answer our video trivia question correctly.

(psst: coincidentally, it’s Plywerk’s birthday too! Also based in Portland, they’re celebrating #6 – stop by and say happy birthday and check out their fantastic products!)

How many people are on the phone in this video? Look closely and count carefully! Please answer in the comments below.