Lens Baby

I still pull out my old lenses to do 'tack sharp' macro work because the Lensbabies aren't for everything, but this year has been a magical year for me and my macro work. In the 60s I grew up within walking distance of a small lake. Most kids read comic books. I read field guides and looked under rocks and learned to identify birds by hearing their songs. I've always loved nature but this year has brought me back to my youth. I look under rocks for "cool" bugs to shoot, wander through the woods looking for wildflowers to photograph, and look in the ponds to find bullfrogs and dragonflies. I have reconnected with nature in a way that I have not felt in many years. Why? Because the world has a different look, a bent and blurred look that has never appeared so clear. If you find that you need something to re-energize your macro photography, try a new lens, something you would not usually use. Try the funny looking lens called a Lensbaby.

-- David Akoubian in "Bending the Rules," in the Spring 2009 issue of Nature Photographer