Using the Lensbaby to create an interesting and seductive look

I’m not a photographer that spends a lot of time talking about the gear that I use with my clients as I firmly believe your photographic equipment is only one  very small component to creating a beautiful and impactful photograph.   That said when I bring out my Lensbaby lens most clients ask me about it because not only does it look different but how I use it is very unique.

So what is a lensbaby,  simply put the Lensbaby is a selective focus lens.  Basically it allows you to isolate certain parts of your subject while the rest of the photograph is blurred.  What is different from other lens is how you use it.  There is no auto focus or zoom functions that most modern lens have, you manually focus the subject by gripping the lens and twisting left-right-up-down to find your focusing point.  I know that it sounds weird and when my clients are watching me use it they often wonder what I’m doing, but the outside of the lens is made of a rubbery type plastic that allows you to twist it in multiple directions. You can see what the lens looks like on the right here.

Using it is far from a science, and the results are somewhat unpredictable depending on how you are twisting and holding the lens, but in many ways its one of the most creative lens that I have.   The selective nature of the lens allows me to create some very provocative and interesting photographs.  Here are a few where I’m just focusing on the subjects eyes and face with the rest of the upper body a complete blur.