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EXPLORE EFFECTS

Discover which effect is right for you. Whether its a sweet spot of focus, a dramatic slice of focus, or a swirly bokeh, we have artistic effects for any type of photographic vision.

INSPIRATION CENTER

Get inspired by our Lensbaby Ambassadors and image galleries in our Inspiration Center. Learn everything there is to know about Lensbaby and our lens effects, from the pros who use them!

© Ute Reckhorn

© Ute Reckhorn

Journey Story: Loralieh Nixon


  • 3 min read

I first picked up a 35 mm camera and had dreams of being a professional photographer in high school. I remember learning about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and all the rules of composition with such a sense of bewilderment and enthusiasm. I was on a roll until my Canon AE-1 was stolen from my first apartment I wasn't able to replace it. At that point, I had unfortunately lost my momentum.

Over the years, my relationship with photography waxed and waned but didn't really stick until I was able to get a digital camera which made it possible to edit the photos at home on my PC. Even then I wasn't satisfied with the images I was producing with that first kit lens. Soon I picked up a 35 mm lens with an f/stop of 1.8. I was getting closer and really starting to enjoy my photography hobby.

Then it happened...

I stumbled across photos taken with the Lensbaby Composer and the double glass optic. I instantly fell in love with the beautiful bokeh and blur in the botanical images that came through my social media feed. I got myself a Lensbaby and felt like I found my niche in the world of photography. I had so much fun shooting flowers; all of the flowers. As time went on I was also falling in love with all of the captivating street photography I was seeing on the internet. I decided to go out and shoot a couple of images with a Lensbaby , just to see what I could produce. To my surprise, I loved the combination. I usually use an Edge optic and I love how that slice of focus can isolate the subject, draw my eye through the scene and how I can incorporate the soft blur, that I love so much, into an urban shot where you might not expect it.

This past spring, I decided that I'd like to expand my skills and learn something new. I had always loved the portraiture that Lensbaby photographers were producing but I was really intimidated by the process. After much hesitation, I signed up for a studio photography class at the community college. I liked it but I wasn't really sure that portraiture was going to be "my thing", so to speak, until I brought in my Lensbaby and my trusty Edge 80. That was all it took. I love the creative control and the outcome I get when I can select the area of focus. The combination of lighting and directed focus just to the area I'd like to highlight really sparked my eye. I ended having so much fun that I started looking into what other classes were available to take.

This summer I started a digital photography 101 class that has an emphasis on composition and critique. I took it thinking it would encourage me to keep shooting through the summer but I have already learned a handful of techniques that I didn't know before. When fall comes around I've enrolled in a landscape class but one foggy day in the mountains, I found a scene that I loved and managed to get a head start shooting landscapes with the Edge 50 and Edge 80 optics. I'm really looking forward to the class and the learning experiences that will come with it but I have already fallen in love with the photographic genre of landscape.

I've yet to reach my high school dream of being a professional photographer but I'm working towards it, every day. If you find yourself in a rut or if you've always wanted to try shooting a new type of subject but are hesitating, let me recommend that you find a class in your community or online. If you can't do that, just jump right in and give it a try.

To see more of Loralieh's work:

https://www.instagram.com/shoot_this_life/
https://www.instagram.com/loralieh_nixon/
https://www.facebook.com/LoraliehNixonPhotography/

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