Lensbaby Storytellers: Deb Schwedhelm

Have you heard about the Lensbaby 2012 Photo Story Challenge? We're inviting you to let your imagination run wild this summer and tell us a story using still images or video, shot only with your Lensbaby. Need a little inspiration to help kick-start your own story? We'll be showcasing some of our favorite Lensbaby storytellers on the blog throughout the challenge. Check out Deb Schwedhelm's visionary narrative she did with her three children and the American Flag.

What inspired your photo story?

I was in the Air Force for 10 years and am now married to a Naval Officer. Needless to say, our family is very patriotic. For years, I had dreamt of taking photographs of my kids with an American Flag. I didn't really know what I wanted to do; I just knew I somehow wanted to capture my kids together with the American Flag in a special and emotional way. So one day, I decided to just go for it and the Lensbaby was my go-to lens for the shoot. There's a freedom that is offered when photographing with a Lensbaby -- the freedom to explore, try new things and create unique and magical photographs.

Which Lensbaby Optic did you use and why did you decide that Lensbaby would work for this particular shoot?

I used the Lensbaby Composer with the Double Glass. The Double Glass Optic was the first optic I purchased and at the time when I did these photographs, I didn't have any other optics. I now own the Sweet 35 and Edge 80, both which I also love to photograph with.

Any tips to offer other photographers that are participating in the photo challenge?

I'm often asked for Lensbaby tips and my biggest advice is practice, practice, practice. I also recommend not bending too much in the beginning. In regards to creating a photo story using the Lensbaby, I recommend having a general concept and then -- just keep shooting, exploring and trying new things (different angles, lighting, etc.).