Lensbaby Love

I recently purchased a FUN new lens - the Lensbaby Sweet 35.  It is a tilt shift lens, has a bit of a learning curve, and gave me the challenge I had been yearning for.  You can angle the lens and change where the focus lies, but then you have to try to determine exactly where you are able to focus.  And here is the kicker - you must then manually focus based on where you believe the focal point resides.  Yes... a bit tricky, but the images are totally art-tastic!  
Manual focus... it isn't for everyone.  In fact, I shoot in manual, adjusting my ISO, shutter speed, and aperture for each image.  But never focus... no manual focus for me!  
My first SLR (notice, not a DSLR) was a Canon Rebel 35mm.  Yes, I shot film for YEARS and had a hard time embracing digital.  Film is light and shadows and it took me a long time to trust pixels.  Now I shoot with a 5D Mark III and would never go back.  But in all that time, I never manually focused my camera.  Suddenly I am taxed with not only learning to use a new lens, but with manual focus!  Yes... challenges are fun.
I bought the lens so I could take fun, creative pictures of the world around me.  After using it for a few weeks, I'm actually considering adding it to my portraiture.  I would love to use it to focus in on details, such as a newborn's lips or hands.  This lens draws the eye with focus, and that could be useful in portraiture, not to mention the added creativity and art in the images!
I'm excited!!!  Learning something new is fun and I enjoy sharing this newfound passion with you!

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Did you enjoy this blog about the Lensbaby?  Please take a moment to read this blog from a fellow photographer who is also sharing her Lensbaby experience, my dear friend Nicola, from Scotland:

Nicola Stewart