Why Lensbaby?

Why Lensbaby? You may have asked yourself this at some point when first introduced to Lensbaby, perhaps you’ve asked it of another photographer with an existing love for Lensbaby, or maybe it’s the question you’re exploring the answer to for yourself right now. I know it’s a question I asked myself back when I was first introduced. As time has gone on and my simple interest in Lensbaby has turned into a *cough* obsession *cough*, I’ve come to believe there are a million ways you could answer this question. Here I’ll share my very own.

As photographers it’s so easy to put ourselves into boxes. I’m sure many of you can relate. We stay in places where we’re comfortable, even if our hearts truly aren’t there anymore or possibly never really were. Sometimes we find our niche, that spark that lights us up in our photography, so we stay there but eventually end up stuck. Or, we stumble upon that exciting moment of creative vision, whip out our camera to bring it to life, but then stop in our tracks because “would anybody even appreciate what I’m creating or just think it strange”. Maybe you’ve found yourself in one or all of these scenarios at some point in your photography journey. 

You see, Lensbaby is that push, that motivation, that “just maybe” feeling that yes, YES! You CAN dive into something new and push out of your comfort zone, breaking existing photography boundaries and moving into a place of creative freedom and the extraordinary! If that in itself hasn’t answered the question “why Lensbaby”, then I’ll happily keep going and take the approach of telling you all that Lensbaby is.

Lensbaby is… one-of-a-kind. Lensbaby has and continues to break the mold on traditional camera gear. From standalone lenses with special glass and engineering that allows for various capabilities and effects, to crystals, films, and prisms that bend and reflect light, to casings that tilt, swivel, and squeeze to achieve focus (and even ones that you can put disc pieces into to create shape effects), Lensbaby offers products that you truly cannot find anywhere else. They’re just that cool and awesome! 

Lensbaby is… exploration. When is the last time you’ve felt challenged to see in a new way? With Lensbaby there is always an opportunity to stretch and expand your skills, practice new techniques, and try new things with the gear you have and the ways you use it. Sure, there will be ideas and images that don’t quite work out as you’d expected, but that’s all part of the creative process. One of the beauties of Lensbaby is that when you have one in hand, you can’t help but feel driven to explore new possibilities of capturing what’s in front of and around you. There’s no telling how far you’ll take what’s before you in your frame and the masterpieces you’ll create through your photographic adventures. Lensbaby is so helpful in providing you with what you need to explore your own unique photography vision and style.

Lensbaby is… discovery. There have been many times when shooting with my Lensbaby’s that I’ve reacted with, “wow, I had no idea I could create something like that!” Every time you pick up your Lensbaby gear, there’s the possibility that you’ll create something you’ve never imagined or have seen before, getting an outcome that you didn’t expect, or discovering something completely new to you. Whether it be a new way to enhance a particular effect or a different way to capture that same subject or scene you’ve photographed a million times, there is always the exciting change to discover with your Lensbaby around every corner. And along with that comes a discovery in who you are as an artist yourself!

Lensbaby is… endless possibilities. I truly mean endless. There is Lensbaby gear for every single photographer regardless of how and what you love to photograph. Lensbaby currently offers four amazing, unique creative effects. There are lenses with an edge effect that has a sharp slice of focus and smooth blur, a sweet spot effect that offers a sharp spot of focus and stunning blur, a swirl effect that has swirly, twisty bokeh, and a velvet effect that offers edge-to-edge glow. Then there’s the OMNI’s, a collection of creative filters including wands, crystals, films, prisms, and more that tweak, bend, and enhance the light and colors in your frame. And within all of that, there are countless ways to use each and every Lensbaby product to fit and fuel your own specific vision and art. 

Lensbaby is… creativity. It’s all about creative expression with Lensbaby! We all see the world and what’s around us in a completely unique way, and it’s so incredible when we can bring that into our art and the photos we take. There is not a single other person with your exact vision or that “sees” quite like you. And it is 100% worth exploring, tapping into, creating, and sharing your art with the world. Lensbaby provides the canvas and tools you need to light that creative spark in you and then bring your masterpiece to life through your camera. 

Lensbaby is… community. At it’s heart Lensbaby is an incredible community. Talk about community over competition. When you get your first Lensbaby, you immediately get to be part of a group of genuine, kind, and inspiring artists. I’ve found the Lensbaby community to be a great way to connect with others who share my love of photography, to share and benefit from inspiration and ideas, a comfortable place to ask questions and learn from others, and simply sharing in our Lensbaby love with each other! There’s something so special about the Lensbaby community that makes it stand out amongst the rest.