Lensbaby Self Portraits

I’d like to share with you my insight on the wonderful world of taking Lensbaby Self Portraits!

When we were looking to move to the town we currently reside in, we were excited at the prospect of just a bit more yard space than we’d had prior. We looked at several homes, but when we first saw the wooded area behind this one, we were sold. Like sold, sold. It almost didn’t matter what the house looked like, but luckily, that was pretty cool, too.

Our yard has become such a peaceful haven where I can go and shoot nature to my heart’s content. Just listening to the sounds of the leaves rustling and the birds calling brings so much joy. Sometimes, I like to put myself out there for self-portraits, as well, because it’s pretty much where I belong. Lensbaby lenses just add to the beauty of it all. They often include a dreamlike element which I appreciate. Therefore, they are what I most often gravitate towards.

If you want to begin to use Lensbabies for self-portraits, I think it’s important to become familiar with each effect in order to decide which is right for your vision. If you only have one, I’m guessing you purchased it first because you loved what you saw other people make with it. So, certainly, get started exploring no matter which you have!

For this article, though, I wanted to compare four different Lensbaby effects for you. I created a series of very similar self-portraits in the same location on my backyard deck. Our leaves have begun falling, so I wanted to keep those around me, intending to document the season we are currently transitioning into. I chose trees in the backdrop for a good amount of bokeh and stand-out effect. It was a partly cloudy morning and the amount of sun shining directly on me varied a bit in each image, dependent on whether or not the sun was in hiding. I tried to edit minimally, while keeping everything relatively comparable in light and color.

Learn More about Creative Self Portraits in our mini course, Pieces of Me!

 

Comparing Lensbaby Effects:

SWEET 35
The Sweet 35 is one of my all-time favorite Lensbabies. It creates the most beautiful bokeh which stretches from a specific focal point in the frame outward to the edges. It also blurs the image more dramatically the further you get from that focal point. Of the four self-portraits compared here, this is my favorite as it matches my expression, giving the impression of daydreaming while gazing towards the sky. {Side note: The Sweet is an interchangeable optic which must be housed in either the Spark or Composer Pro. It is not a freestanding lens.}

 

 

VELVET 85
The Velvet 85 is a very versatile, freestanding lens. It has the capability of taking 1:2 macro images (great for nature) as well as portraits. The more wide open the aperture setting, the more of an overall softness and distinct glow you will see around your subject. This was my second favorite image of this set, as I felt the softness here also enhanced my daydreamlike expression.

 

BURNSIDE 35
The Burnside has kind of a grungy feel at times and renders color quite beautifully, in my opinion. It has a vignette slider that can create an even darker mood and dependent on the aperture set, the backdrop can develop a bit of a swirl, which you can see really well in this self-portrait. This creates a lot of contrast (especially if you have the vignette slider fully engaged, which I did) and shows much detail in the light. It is not the most forgiving with skin texture, so that’s something to keep in mind for portraits.

 

EDGE 35
The Edge creates a line of focus through a specific area of an image, with the surrounding areas blurred. In this self-portrait, you can see the focus goes on a very slight diagonal starting at about the center of the image at the top, through my body, and down toward the left side of the table in the foreground. Keeping the lens completely centered creates no effect. A centered lens is similar to a standard 35mm lens. Like the Sweet, the Edge is an interchangeable optic. The edge will need to be housed in the Spark or Composer Pro.

 

5 General Shooting Tips to Get You Started:

1. Since Lensbabies are manual focus lenses, you will want to focus on something that marks your place. In this case, I used a vase of decorative grasses and placed it on the bench where I planned to sit. In some cases, you can also sit in your location and focus back on your tripod, but if you’re using a tilt-shift style lens (like the Edge, Sweet, or Sol) this may not work as well, unless you are using very little tilt, if any at all. It may be more successful with lenses like the Burnside or Velvet, though.
2. If you’re struggling with focus, particularly with a sweet spot lens like the Sweet or Sol, try starting out with focus dead center and no tilt at all.
3. If you’re still struggling with focus, consider stopping down your aperture. You may prefer to shoot wide open, in general. However, when you’re first experimenting, grant yourself some flexibility with depth of field. The effect of the lens may also be reduced. But give yourself time to learn before expecting  perfection.
4. If you’re looking for maximum Lensbaby effect (swirly bokeh, for example), consider a “busier” backdrop. If your backdrop is a plain wall or seamless paper, for example, the lens effect will be naturally reduced.
5. Consider embracing “missed focus.” I know…. this seems like such a wrong thing to say. Honestly, though, ask yourself if it is vital to the story that your eye be in focus, for example. If it is, then try, try again. But if that is not the story you need to tell, let go! Lensbabies will stretch your creativity. Have an open mind!

Learn more about shooting with Lensbaby in our Language of Lensbaby Course!

Lensbaby lenses have the ability to transform an ordinary self-portrait into an extraordinary one. From the daydreamlike Sweet to the moody Burnside, each lens has a specific effect that allows for an extra step towards something uniquely creative. Hopefully, this has given you a great indication of several things Lensbaby has to offer. These tips and tricks will help you shoot great Lensbaby Self Portraits. If you’d like to see a behind-the-scenes video of one of my recent Edge 35 self-portraits from initial thoughts and ideas through final editing (including one big boo-boo!), be sure to become a Hello Storyteller member! This nearly 20 minute video is a members’ only perk for October!

If you’d like to see more of my work or have Lensbaby questions, please connect with me on IG @michellebaisa. If you’re interested in Lensbaby products, visit lensbaby.com. Feel free to use my ambassador code of WBAISA at checkout for a 10% discount.