The Beauty of Winter - A Lensbaby Blog Circle Post

January 7, 2019 Carol Vipperman

It was a warm beginning to winter, but when January arrived we were greeted by colder weather (no snow so I shouldn’t complain), rain, and wind. It is the kind of weather that makes you want to stay home, but this weekend I ventured out with my Lensbaby Velvet 56 lens and Canon 6D to see what I could capture at one of our local lakes.

Green Lake, located in Seattle, WA, is a popular place for people to walk, ride bikes, and catch up with friends. Although it was cold and windy, I loved the winter scenes that I saw.

There is a small island in the middle of the lake and it was fun capturing images of it as I made my way around.

We were expecting the possibility of rain, however, the sun started to peek through the clouds, which was welcomed.

Green Lake is very popular year round. Kids jump off the docks, swim in the lake, and families rent boats to enjoy the lake. During the winter, however, the docks are generally clear making it easier to capture images without distractions.

I loved taking these winter images as the light changed. Although I normally go farther than a three-mile walk, this winter morning with its crisp wind and cold temperatures made me glad that it was time to go get a latte.

I love hearing from you, so please comment below, post on my Facebook page, or send me an email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com.

About Lensbaby Blog Circle: Once a month I participate in a Lensbaby Blog Circle. Photographers from all over the world who use Lensbaby lenses post their photos and comments in a blog. Take a moment and read Birgit Franik’s blog. It is a great read and you can keep following the Lensbaby Blog Circle.

If you would like to receive my blog posts please send me your name and email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

Have a Creative Holiday Season

December 16, 2018 Carol Vipperman

This time of year is perfect for expressing our creativity. Many make gifts - I enjoy doing that with my photos - and I reach for a lens that helps me capture the magic of the season.

That lens is my Lensbaby Creative Bokeh optic. It has a set of magnetic disks that are cut out in different shapes and transforms lights into hearts, birds, and stars for example. Over the past couple of weeks, I have had so much fun walking around my neighborhood capturing the lights.

I was able to capture some fun images of the cityscape with this lens as well. The stars were out early in the morning.

And the sidewalks on my neighborhood of Queen Anne were full of stars as well.

I plan on using this lens more regularly, playing with the different aperture disks, because I enjoyed transforming my subjects into magical images. It helped me capture a bit of the spirit of the season.

I hope you have a joyous holiday season, and find ways to embrace your creativity this month. I love hearing from you, so comment below, post on our Facebook page, or send me an email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com.

If you would like to receive my blog posts please send me your name and email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

Seattle Skies - A Lensbaby Blog Circle Post

November 30, 2018 Carol Vipperman

I walk around my neighborhood in Seattle almost everyday. It can be a bit boring walking the same route; however, when I take my camera and a different lens with me I find that each walk becomes a new experience! This past weekend was a special treat. We had great weather (hint, no rain) and the skies were magnificent! I decided to take two lenses that I haven’t used in a while - my Lensbaby Twist 60 and Edge 50 - to see what I could capture.

Although I normally use my Twist 60 for close ups, I was pleased that I could capture interesting landscape images.

I also enjoyed experimenting with my Lensbaby Edge 50. The first morning the sky was so amazing and it kept changing as I made my way around the hill.

On a different day, another story unfolded.

I came across this fellow sitting on the wall at Kerry Park. Although the park was busy, he seemed so calm that I was drawn to take these images.

I loved capturing these images of our Seattle skies. There were times that what I saw through my camera took my breath away.

One of the reasons that I was able to capture interesting images was that I used different lenses. My Twist 60 and Edge 50 made me slow down and compose with purpose. I love that and look forward to experimenting more in the future.

Take a moment and read Keri Friedman’s post. It is a great post and you can keep following the Lensbaby Blog Circle.

If you would like to receive my blog posts please send me your name and email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

It is Fun to Experiment!

November 4, 2018 Carol Vipperman

One of the things I love most about being a photographer is the daily opportunity to experiment, learn, and grow. For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I use Lensbaby lenses quite often to create images that are more artistic. When I take photos of flowers I usually use lens at an aperture of f4 or f5.6. Rarely have I taken images when the camera is wide open, when there is more blur, until now. Several photographers that I follow who regularly shoot at f1.6 or f2.0 have inspired me to give it a try. Wow, what fun! The images are much more artistic and evocative.

I took the above image on one of my neighborhood walks the other day. Using a wide aperture of f1.6 on the Lensbaby Velvet 56 really transformed this tree into something much more interesting. It actually glows, which is one of the characteristics of the Velvet lens.

I didn’t expect the swirl effect that was created by the lens in the above photo, but I loved it, so this weekend I took my Velvet 56 lens to our city’s wonderful Arboretum Park to see what I could capture. While I was capturing the images I wasn’t sure if they were working, so I was so surprised once I was home on the computer and saw them. They were so much more mysterious and created a more interesting mood.

Although I consider myself to be pretty good at using the Velvet lenses, I must admit that it takes some practice to shoot wide open. I am loving it though and look forward to experimenting over the next few months. I came home from my walk refreshed, energized, and excited to share what I found. I enjoy hearing from you, so please comment below, post on our Facebook page, or send me an email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com.

If you would like to receive my blog posts please send me your name and email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.

Scary Halloween - A Lensbaby Blog Circle Post

October 30, 2018 Carol Vipperman

This is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the fall colors, the falling leaves, and Halloween! I don't go out treat or treating, but I do love walking around my neighborhood capturing images of the interesting, fun, and sometimes scary Halloween decorations. This year I took my Lensbaby Sol45 with me to see what I could find.

I love the blur around the edges and the lights in the above image. It also softened the background in the image below. I must say that it was quite a sight to come across this ghost on my early morning walk.

This neighbor’s house is always well decorated every Halloween. While I was taking this photo, a young man came by and told me that there was a real scary spider web just a few steps away. He was right!

Down the block there are always scary decorations - all inflatable - that are fun to photograph.

Doesn’t look like the pumpkin is too worried.

Then there was this car decoration. He looks like he is a passenger.

And finally my all time favorite Halloween decoration - the local grocery store puts this witch up every year. It always makes me laugh.

For those who celebrate Halloween, this is a great time to explore for the best decorations. I enjoyed using my Lensbaby Sol45 this year. It gave me a new twist on this holiday. Happy Halloween everyone!

If you would like to read another person’s experience with Lensbaby, take a look at Seonaid Teal’s post on A Dog’s Life. It is a great read and you can keep following the Lensbaby Blog Circle.

If you would like to receive my blog posts please send me your name and email at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. I would be happy to add you to my list of followers.