lensbaby love

Lensbaby kindly offered us at Camp Shutter Sisters a chance to play with the Lensbaby Composer Pro and one of my highlights of camp was hosting a walk down to the beach to experiment with these babies. I had been playing and learning the joys and difficulties of the Lensbaby Composer Pro before I arrived at camp, hoping to impart some knowledge or tips once we were there.

What I have discovered is that playing is the best way to approach this lens. It’s kinda like going back to basics, like when we first learnt how to use our cameras. You have to focus manually, find the “sweet spot”, maybe bend the lens to create some movement and find peace with the dreamy effect and what lands in your camera.

Some people get it right away, some get frustrated, some enjoy the challenge, some have patience to wait and discover something special and some do not. Sometimes working hard for an image makes it extra special. Thankfully many of the campers surrendered to the beauty of what was happening and some magic ensued.....

Beautiful fun moments, carefully crafted portraits, and breathtaking views of the surroundings.

Thank you Lensbaby for giving us the opportunity to play and create on camp.

We wanted to keep the Lensbaby love flowing, so please leave a comment today for a chance to win a Lensbaby Composer Pro of your very own, how exciting! You have until midnight Thursday night EST to leave a comment for your chance to win!

Congratulations to Kimberly Bowler for winning the Lensbaby and thanks to all of you for your comments!

Comments

[Marcie]

Oh...what fun!! Such creative 'opportunity'. Love what you'all have created with this lens!

[Lisa]

I am crazy jealous of all the fun and experimenting you guys had at camp.
I have spent a lot of time looking through peoples flickr accounts, astounded by the creativity and friendship created at camp.

[Hillary]

These lensbaby shots made by all the campers are awesome!!!!!

[Chelle]

I'd love to discover what lensbaby is all about!!! Wished I had all that fun at camp, but glad u all did, so wonderful :)

[Nicoletet]

How wonderful!!! Would love love love to have one!

[Janice]

What a great way to stretch your learning curve. I'd love one of these babies!

[Fiona]

wow...l love the photos that you create xanthe...you are such an inspiration...x

[Jessie]

I have seen what some create with their Lensbaby and I would love to get my hands on one to play! What fun that would be and what a great new challenge! Thank you for this opportunity to put my name in the hat <3

[Sherry]

Really liked the Arrival at the Beach photo - added feel of motion - you can see/feel the wind blowing. Thank you for this opportunity.

[LindaTS]

It sure is a cool lens to play with.

[olivia]

its a very cool lens.. for now I try to recreate the magic with some photoshop.

[melissa deakin]

wow.
these images are awesome.
i just love the effect the Lensbaby has on photos.
thanks for the chance to win.

[Suzi]

Thank you for the opportunity to win one of these babies. I've been coveting them for a while now. The photos from camp are magical.

[Becky Sue]

Oh, I have been coveting a Lensbaby! Such an awesome give-away! Thank you!

[Lynne]

I love my lensbaby! It's magic! It would be wonderful to own the Composer Pro!

[Michelle (Mamadunk)]

I would definitely be up for the challenge of this awesome lens! Thank you for the chance!

[Jennifer M.]

I have a regular old Lensbaby, but I would love to have this one!

[Terri]

AWESOME!! I'd love to win one of these so I can experiment :O)

[Annette]

Thank you, thank you for this wonderful opportunity. I would love to have a lens baby (happy early xmas to me!)

[Magda]

Camp Shutter Sisters sounds like so much fun! It is now on my bucket list. Would love to play with Lensbaby!

[Angela]

Very cool!!! I have been wanting to try a lensbaby!

[Erin]

How fun it'd be to experiment w/ one of these!

[Lisa]

Oh, how I love the Lensbaby! I love what it does for portraits AND landscapes alike. I have a Lensbaby 2.0 and have been lusting after a newer model for quite some time. I would love a bit more control and smoothness when finding the sweet spot.

[kristen]

I would love to have a lensbaby! It would sort of make up for the missed opportunity of camp. sort of. :) And it would be the first lens I pack when I attend next year.

[Ashley]

I'd love to win! Thanks for the opportunity!

[Christian @ Modobject at Home]

The Lensbaby scares me and intrigues me, but right now intrigue is outweighing fear. Enter me!

[Andrea]

I've been crushing on the Lensbaby forever! Crossing my fingers!

[anngeedee]

I had such fun playing with the one on loan from camp. I'd love to have one to keep! Thanks Xanthe for including my shots. What a treat!

[autumn sun]

i would love to have a lensbaby of my own. how fun!

[Lelainia Lloyd]

I think ALL my photos involve just playing around with the camera. For me, it's my "method"-I just leave myself open to whatever comes and that's where the magic lies.

[Gail O]

Soooo wish I had been there with everyone and it would have been nice to try out a Lensbaby too:) I would love to have one!

[shirley]

Wow, what a great giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity!

[Dotti]

After I got my dSLR a couple of years ago, I bought the Lensbaby 2.0 to experiment and see if I wanted to go whole hog. Sometimes I loved it, sometimes I hated it. Enter my 50mm compact macro and the Lensbaby hasn't seen the light of day since. These photos are so lovely, though, my interest would be easily renewed if I won the Composer; I know it's a huge improvement over the 2.0.

[allison mcd]

look at all the Lensbaby love! So. Much. Fun.

[Summer]

The images captured with the Lensbaby are amazing! So much fun looking through the shots. Thanks for the opportunity!

[Ana Eugenio]

omg, that would be dreamy!! thank you so much for the opportunity :)

[Gillian]

I just purchased the Lensbaby Scout Fisheye Lens and I have been having a blast learning to use it. I thought the Scout would be a good introduction to the Lensbaby line. I would love to expand my Lensbaby collection. Thanks for this opportunity!

[Sarah]

I would dearly love to play around with the magic that can be created with a Lensbaby.

And I have to echo Lisa's comment that I am [kind of jealously] enjoying going through the pictures and posts from Camp Shutter Sisters. You have made a wonderful creative community of women, and I think that's amazing.

Thank you for all that you do to inspire us.

[Melissa]

Would love to add a Lensbaby to my bag......love the creative shots it creates!

[Elizabeth Crocker]

I love my lens baby! I don't have the pro though, just the first composer. I love the fisheye lens insert best. The pinhole gives me the most challenge, but I have captured some really cool moments with it too!

[Meghan @ Life Refocused]

I saw people having so much fun with these at Camp, but I didn't get a chance to play with one. I would super love to win one of these "babies!"

[Katie]

Gorgeous photo links! I'd love to have a Lensbaby - love to capture the natural world with a lens like that. Pick me! :)

[Amarie]

I would love to give one of these babies a try. :-)

[Anna]

Love the images that everyone came up with using the Lensbaby!!! I would so like to own one:) Thanks for this opportunity!

[Angie]

I so, so want a tilt and shift lens - but this actually looks like it might do what I need!
I love the photos you guys have taken - super-dreamy :)

[Robin]

i am just starting to build my inventory and would love to add this new toy to it,

[lifeineden]

LOVED playing with the Lensbaby at camp (thanks for including one of my shots!). It was really fun and made for some really unique shots. I'd love to add it to my tool kit!

[NatsterNat]

Those photos were great! I would love to add that lens to my bag! Thanks!!!

[tara on the wander]

i get all swoony thinking about having a lensbaby of my own. playing with them was soooo fun. thanks for including a shot of mine, xanthe. xo.

[Kendra]

I got to play with one of the Lensbabies at camp and it was such fun! Everyone go such interesting photos!