Lensbaby Sol 45 | ISO 100 | 1/1000s | f3.5

It's no secret that, often, we find ourselves in a rut creatively. Perhaps our children, who have always been willing subjects, are no longer available or cooperative. Maybe it's been a difficult day, week, month, or even year. We feel the urge to pick up our camera, but we lack inspiration. Perhaps we've been shooting happily and with success for a very long time, but then, all of a sudden, it's like we've hit a brick wall.

Nature is Waiting

John Muir said, "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." The natural world can be just the inspiration needed to broaden our creativity in ways we never thought possible. It can be the opportunity we've been looking for to expand our photographic horizons, find new life in our craft, or rekindle the joy of our journey.

Above is a side-by-side comparison of picture from the Lensbaby Sol 45 lens. This lens creates a sweet spot of focus surrounded by blur and bokeh effect, by activating the blades on the front of the lens you can change the texture of the bokeh!

Lensbabies in the Great Outdoors

No one sees nature precisely as you do. Lensbaby lenses are the perfect way to express your vision uniquely, homing in on the details you want to accentuate. My favorites for accomplishing this task are the Sweet and Sol lenses because of their beautiful spot of focus with ethereal blur elsewhere in the frame. As a bonus, the Sol has bokeh effect blades which bring even more visual interest to your images. Easy to engage by simply shifting into place over the lens's front, they change your bokeh effect from round to linear, giving nature a new personality.

I almost always pair my Sweet and Sol with my Lensbaby macro filters to zero in on nature's unique details even further. They're simple to use, screw right to the front of the lenses, and can be used individually or as a combination of two or all three filters together. They allow me to magnify my subject and document natural beauty others may not ever have the chance to explore independently.

Lensbaby Sweet 35 | ISO 200 | 1/200s | f4

Pro Tips:

1. Start with your sweet spot in the center. Once you have mastered focus there, it'll be easier to do so when the lenses are tilted.
2. For the Sweet: Start with a higher f-stop (perhaps f8 or f11). Giving yourself a larger focal plane will make it easier to bring your details into focus. Once you've become more familiar with the lens, it'll be easier to shoot with an open aperture. I usually have my Sweet set to f4.
3. For the Sol: Because the Sol is a fixed f3.5, you may want to start with a faster shutter speed to reduce camera shake and give the best opportunity for getting sharper focus. You can also try bracing your elbows or even using a tripod if the situation suits you.

Lensbaby Sweet 35 | ISO 100 | 1/500s | f4

Lensbaby Sweet 35 | ISO 100 | 1/400s | f4

Lensbaby products have helped bring my natural light photography to a whole new level. Whether you are brand new to this genre or have been shooting it for some time, I have no doubt they can do the same for you.