Manipulating Light to Catch Meaning in the Moment

Light often provides a true spark of inspiration.

Home by Theodore Kefalopoulos Lensbaby using Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic

Thats because light radiates with emotion. It twinkles when were positive, it shadows when were moody. Regardless of the photograph, light accents the images that seize the story.

But there are a million tools at your disposal to impact light. Its all about finding the right lenses that helps you shape it with unpredictability and controland see what others cant see.

When you shoot with Lensbaby, youre shooting with lenses built to distort light in enchanting new ways. Lensbaby helps Theodore Kefalopoulos and Karin Claus craft photographs with spirited, imaginative light. But mastering how to illuminate shots with edge doesnt just happen overnight. The more you experiment, the easier it is to use it with power and surprise.

Novem Portis by Theodore Kefalopoulos using Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 50 Optic

Everything photographers shoot should have a soul of its own.

Theodore Kefalopoulos considers it his duty to analyze the soul of his landscape and outdoor subjects through a psychological lens. Thats why he purposefully uses light to place mood front and center in his photography.

Its absolutely mandatory to create some sort of communication with the audience, Kefalopoulos says. Manipulating light in a fascinating way helps me profile the soul and transmit a message I never would have imagined.

Effective communication takes time. And deep analysis takes rigorous inspection. Thats something Kefalopoulos knows well. While he often feels haunted to express his feelings in an instant, he realizes that just by being at a certain place for long enough, you can sense its real character. A long photo session unleashes the flow of ideas and answers a world of introspective questions.

Spellbound by Theodore Kefalopoulos using Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 50 Optic

Kefalopoulos realized conventional optics and shooting methods werent going to cut it if he wanted to fully communicate the mood of an image to his audience. When he first used Lensbaby lenses, he couldnt believe how easy it was to represent light like he never had before. Even if it did take time to master it. Patience was something he was used to. But instant inspiration took him by surprise.

Lensbaby optics areby designa source of inspiration, he says. They help us recreate our imperfect way of seeing the world, and Im overjoyed at the ability to catch utterly artistic and esoteric photos directly in the field.

Risen by Theodore Kefalopoulos using Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 50 Optic

Tips from the photographer
What worked:
Lensbaby lenses helped give me a style, a signature. Theyve changed my view of what I can do with a camera.

What didnt:
The Sweet optics need some special handling, especially when shooting at large apertures where focus area becomes small while the rest of the frame gradually blurs. What worked for me is to have the locking ring just a tad loose so that the front of the lens only turns by hand. That way, I can easily move the sweet spot and obtain focus at the same time.

What I learned:
Creativity in photography is primarily a state of mind. There are always opportunities to discover new ideas, locations, effectseverything. You just have to be willing to look for it.

Photo by Karin Claus using Lensbaby Composer Pro with Edge 80 Optic

The natural world is far from boring. Karin Claus wants to make sure the same can be said of fine-art nature photography.

Claus strives to shoot nature in a twisted way, to find its true magic and spirit. She believes the imaginative use of light can create a connection between our worlds, inventing realities where we can see ourselves in our natural environments, and vice versa.

I see portraits in naturefrom soft and dreamy to sharp and harsh, Claus says. Controlling the light lets me control the mood of the moment I want to capture. A landscape isnt just a nice, pretty landscape. Its a story.

Photo by Karin Claus using Lensbaby Velvet 56

Fresh out of school, Claus struggled to balance the pressures of maintaining passion with the transactional nature of photography. It was only when she released herself from the confines of standard nature photography that she was able to focus on showcasing her bent view of the world. Through time-intensive DIY projects, she developed lenses to create just the right curve to cast just the right shadow. Then she discovered Lensbaby. She surprised herself by using the lenses as they were intendedand sometimes unintended. But she was always thrilled with the results. Bending it here, shaping it there, adding a bit of style with every slight adjustment.

Lensbaby lenses help Claus hide intensity in her images. She sneaks in whimsical messages that are rooted in the willingness to see the moment. To open up your mind and let in that specific shot at that specific time.

Lensbaby gives me the freedom to follow my intuition, Claus says. Now, I feel more like an artist than a photographer.

Photo by Karin Claus using Lensbaby Velvet 56

Tips from the photographer

What worked:
The Edge 50 and 80 are perfect for capturing fast-moving objects. And the Twist 60 wows for portraits.

What didnt:
Be careful, night shots can get a bit messy. It can be hard to see where youre focusing your shot.

What I learned:
Make the most out of your gear; understand and use the pro and cons of each of your tools.

Photo by Karin Claus using Lensbaby Twist 60