Another Gem: the Sweet 22 Lens

February 23, 2024 Carol Vipperman

I love all my Lensbabies and how each helps me tell a different story, but I am always thrilled when they create new ones. It was a pleasant surprise to find their latest Sweet22 Pancake lens for mirrorless cameras in my mailbox last fall. As the name implies, it is a fixed-aperture (f3.5) lens with a small area of focus and a large amount of blur. If you are a photographer like me, who likes a sharp focus with blur, this is the lens for you.

Take a look at this short unboxing video that will give you all of the features of this lens. By the way, you will see three of my photos in it, which I thought was pretty cool.

To be transparent, I have a Canon EOS R, and because this lens captures images wide open, I get a purple vignette when the light is bright. I understand this isn't true for other camera manufacturers, but for some reason, that is how it is with Canon. Still, I have learned to work with purple by converting my images to black and white, desaturating them, or embracing all the colors in my pictures. I like the flexibility this gives me. Another option I learned about recently is adjusting your cropping/aspect ratio in your camera menu settings from a full frame to another ratio, which will crop out the purple vignette. I tried it, and it does help.

One of the things I like about this lens is that it is lightweight, making it a tremendous walk-around option. In addition to my morning walks, when I usually take my photos, I could stick it in my purse to take images throughout the day. That was a real plus, as I rarely have my camera with me due to its weight and size unless it is in my backpack.

A challenge was capturing images where the subject was in the distance. The subject seemed too small, but changing the crop/aspect ratio fixed this! Medium-distance and close-up photos worked wonderfully on full-frame. I discovered I could get up to 5 inches from my subject and get great close-ups without a filter. Adding a +4-macro filter brought me even closer, which was terrific. I experimented with changing the aspect ratio to take close-ups, which also worked well.

I was surprised at how well it captured flowers, one of my favorite subjects. I could get sharp in-focus centers with the lovely blur merging outwards. I look forward to using this lens this spring and summer.

And since I enjoy toy photography, I was happy to see how it worked with my little subjects. I experimented using the lens without a macro filter and found that it created a different story than when I added the +4 filter. I appreciate having the option depending on the scene I am trying to make.

The more I played with the lens, the more I wanted to keep it on my camera at the expense of my other lovely Lensbabies. So, I am glad the day has come when the lens is available to the public, and I can openly share my images with the world. Thank you, Lensbaby, for another gem.

If you are curious about the Sweet 22 or other Lensbaby lenses, look at their website. I love hearing from you, so comment below, post on my Facebook page, follow me on Instagram, or email me at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. If you have any questions about photography, I would be pleased to answer them.

Please send me your name and email to receive my blog posts. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

Introducing the Double Glass II

February 23, 2023 Carol Vipperman

Over the last few months, I have been testing a new optic from Lensbaby - the Double Glass II. Today they announced it to the world! I have been waiting for the launch, so that I could share my images and reactions to the optic. The bottom line - I. Love. It.

Like the Soft Focus II, this optic has drop-in aperture disks that transform lights into shapes. Nine disks come with the optic, but I found that I gravitated to a few favorites.

Honestly, I love the Double Glass Optic without the disks. The colors, blur, and the mood it creates are so beautiful. The optic has a full range of fstops from f2.5 to f22. I loved shooting these images wide-open at f2.5.

If you are curious about the Double Glass II or other Lensbaby lenses, look at their website. You can use my discount code, wVipperman, for an additional 10% off. (Not available for use purchasing new lenses, sorry.) I love hearing from you, so comment below, post on my Facebook page, follow me on Instagram, or email me at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. If you have any questions about photography, I would be pleased to answer them.

Please send me your name and email if you want to receive my blog posts. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

Embracing Curiosity

June 26, 2022 Carol Vipperman

I recently listened to a podcast where a musician talked about how he sustains his creativity, and it turns out it was curiosity! Being curious can make you a better listener if you are interested in understanding a person or situation. It helps to be curious when problem-solving, particularly when other solutions haven't worked, but why is that important to creativity. I did some research and this is what I found:

"Since the mind is like a muscle that becomes stronger through continual exercise, the mental exercise caused by curiosity makes your mind stronger and stronger. It makes your mind observant of new ideas. When you are curious about something, your mind expects and anticipates new ideas related to the subject. And it brings excitement into your life" - Anderson University. And according to an article in Greater Good Magazine, "For children and adults alike, curiosity has been linked with psychological, emotional, social, and even health benefits."

Lensbaby Soft Focus II | 1/80 | f2.8 | 640

I can see the benefits of curiosity for overall health and strengthening relationships, but I had not thought about it when it comes to my art, photography. It is true that I am motivated by exploration and discovery, but I hadn't put curiosity in that mix.

So how does one sustain curiosity? I read with interest these tips from Anderson University and have translated them to my photography:

"Keep an open mind: Be willing to learn, unlearn and relearn."

For me this means signing up for workshops that push my comfort zone, experimenting with different lenses to get a subject to work, and getting out of my routine to try something else. Also, when something doesn't work, go back, and try another approach.

Lensbaby Sweet 35 | 1/2500 | f2.8 | 100 with Omniuniversal Silver Swiss Cheese reflector

"Don't take things at face value."

I can get stuck in a routine, going to the same places to take photos, so it helps to deliberately pick a different place or look for what else is available around me. I can look at a field and see the general landscape, but by getting off the path, there are many interesting subjects to explore.

Lensbaby Sweet 35 |1/80 | f4 | 100 with 8 mm macro converter

"Ask questions"

It certainly makes sense when looking at problems or situations, but asking what, why, when, who, and how can be helpful in photography. Asking what story I am telling, why would anyone care, when is the best time to take this, who is this for, and how can I capture it more interestingly are some examples.

Lensbaby Sweet 35 | 1/80 | f2.8 | 250 with 8 mm macro converter and Omni Rainbow Film

"Don't label something as boring. When you label something boring, you close one more door of possibilities."

I have been guilty of calling my walks boring, so this one jumped out at me. Yes, it may be the same walking route, but there are daily changes - a flower that has bloomed, a toy left by a child at an unusual place, the clouds in the sky, people along my path, and of course, the light that changes every day and hour.

"See learning as something fun."

One of the most exciting things about being a photographer is that I am constantly learning with each image I take: why it does or doesn't work, what story I am telling, and, more deeply, what my photos are saying about me. Through my journey with toy photography, I have learned that my pictures show caring, inclusiveness, humor, and embrace playfulness in a way that I wouldn't have expressed verbally. Curiosity is definitely at the heart of my urge to explore and discover my inner and outer worlds through photography.

Lensbaby Soft Focus II | 1/400 | f4 | 100 with 8 mm macro converter and Omniuniversal Swiss Cheese reflector

"Creativity flows when curiosity is stoked." - Neil Blumenthal

Lensbaby Sweet 35 | 1/160 | f2.8 | 100 with 8 mm macro converter

If you are curious about Lensbaby lenses, take a look at their website, and if you are inclined to take the plunge, use my Lensbaby Ambassador code (wVipperman) for a 10% discount. I love hearing from you, so comment below, post on my Facebook page, follow me on Instagram, or send me an email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. If you have any questions about photography, I would be pleased to answer them.

If you would like to receive my blog posts, please send me your name and email. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

Capture Creative Images with the Soft Focus II

March 10, 2022 Carol Vipperman

I was excited to beta test Lensbaby's newest optic, the Soft Focus II! I am always impressed by the company's innovation, and this optic doesn't disappoint.

Soft Focus ll with small hole disk 1/640 f2.8 ISO 100

I tested it with my Composer Pro II and Spark 2 and was very happy with the results. With an aperture range from f2.5 to f22, you can create as much or little focus as you like. Using the drop-in magnetic disks, you can transform lights into different shapes. My favorite is the star disk, but the others also create fun images.

Soft Focus II with star disk 1/500 f4 ISO 100

Soft Focus II with large circle disk 1/80 f2.5 ISO 3200

I started using it with the disks and then found that I liked the images created with just the Soft Focus II optic alone. When shooting wide open there is luminous glow. Stopping down to f4 or higher apertures, the photos have more details and less glow. The glow is similar to the Velvet series, but this optic has more depth to the glow in my opinion.

Soft Focus II 1/60 f4 ISO 100 with a +4 macro filter

Soft Focus II 1/160 f 2.8 ISO 1oo with a +4 macro filter

This is a very versatile optic and a great addition to my optics suite. If you have disks from the creative bokeh optic set, as I do, you have even more shapes to use. I take photos along my walks, so I love the variety of options - I can photograph landscapes, focus on details, capture lights and images of my toys.

Soft Focus II 1/40 f4 ISO 100 with a +8 macro converter

If you are curious about Lensbaby lenses, take a look at their website, and if you are inclined to take the plunge, use my Lensbaby Ambassador code (wVipperman) for a 5% discount. I love hearing from you, so comment below, post on my Facebook page, follow me on Instagram, or send me an email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. If you have any questions about photography, I would be pleased to answer them.

If you would like to receive my blog posts, please send me your name and email. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

Exploring The World Through Toys

February 20, 2022 Carol Vipperman

If you follow me on social media, you probably have noticed an increasing number of toy images. That is because I have been taking toy photography workshops starting last fall and this winter. I became fascinated with miniature photography at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, as I wrote about in an earlier blog. However, after meeting fellow Lensbaby Ambassador and my toy instructor, Shelly Corbett, I began to explore this genre in earnest. I am amazed at how many terrific and talented toy photographers there are. It is a real thing!

Lensbaby Edge 50 with +4 macro filter 1/80 f4 ISO 640

I am learning many things about how to construct a scene, like how to get a fairy to fly, but at the heart of toy photography is storytelling. At first, this surprised me, but I understood the importance as I continued to explore and experiment.

Lensbaby Edge 50 with +4 macro filter 1/80 f4 ISO 1600

In all types of photography, the photographer is communicating a message to viewers. The same is true in toy photography. Choice of the toy, whether or not they interact, and the scenes you create invite viewers to connect.

Lensbaby Edge 50 with +4 macro filter 1/60 f4 ISO500

Shelly wrote an excellent blog entitled, Five Reasons to Photograph Toys. I encourage you to read it. Not only is it informative, but she also has lovely images that you can enjoy.

Here are some takeaways from my exploration of toy photography:

Buy toys that articulate. For example, LEGO toys have seven points of articulation: head, arms, hands, and legs. Trust me; there are seven. More movement means that you can pose them in a variety of ways.

Lensbaby Edge 50 with +4 macro filter 1/60 f4 ISO 1600

Be playful. It is not very easy to take images of toys and be serious, or at least in my opinion. I will admit that I can get very focused when trying to keep all the pieces working simultaneously, but if the image makes me smile, I know it works.

Lensbaby Sweet 35 with +8 macro converter 1/80 f2.8 ISO 250

Think of your audience. This is a new one for me because I ultimately take the photo for my own pleasure and hope that others will enjoy it, but it is helpful to keep your audience in mind. For now, I am trying to reach people who enjoy the whimsey and simplicity of a story told by toys. This won't include everyone who might be patiently waiting for me to return to landscapes or cityscapes, but there are some out there as several have encouraged me to do a children's book.

Lensbaby Edge 50 with +4 macro filter 1/5 f4 ISO 100

The setup doesn't need to be complicated. My frustration with miniature photography was that I needed to do it inside my home, and I didn't have a dedicated space or studio. I now take toys with me on my walks with a few tools to ensure that I can get them to stand up, and I found that a simple setup on my dining room table near a window works well for an indoor shot. Also, you can use any lens, including smartphone cameras. My Lensbaby lenses work wonderfully with toy photography since they create blur, unique focal points, and moods.

Lensbaby Edge 50 with +4 macro filter 1/60 f4 ISO 640

Mix up your toys. I gravitated to this naturally, but I learned that by combining toys from different lines, like Kermit with a LEGO stormtrooper, doing something different together is called a Mashup and by doing so it can tell an incredible story.

Lensbaby Edge 50 with +4 macro filter 1/60 f8 ISO 800

Selecting the story. Some people buy a toy with a story in mind, but I gravitate to certain toys and then devise a story about them, often when I am walking around my neighborhood. There are many ways to get ideas for photos: favorite quotes, song lyrics, art images, memories, and much more.

Seek out toy photographers. I am committed to my pursuit of toy photography and love the community surrounding them. Search for toy photographers on Instagram to find ones that resonate with you. Most of the toy photographers I have encountered bring their inner child with them when playing, shooting images, and talking about toys. It is so refreshing.

Lensbaby Sweet 35 with +8 macro filter 1/60 f4 ISO 1600

I am not abandoning my other photography passions, such as flower photography and capturing water reflections, but I love exploring the world of storytelling through these little peeps. And there is nothing more fun and relaxing than playing with your toys.

If you would like to receive my blog posts, please send me your name and email. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.