Following wise advice, I am putting my lensbaby on my camera each day, starting today. My self-imposed rules:
1. Must continue to use it until I feel like I have a photo worth posting.
2. Once I get it to my computer, I can change my mind and post something else.
3. I can't put one of my other lenses on until after I have used my lensbaby.
4. I must do this until next Saturday.
5. I can, however, make exceptions to the rule if I ask myself very politely.
I'm curious to know what you think as I'm unsure what a 'good' lensbaby photo should look like.
IMO, a LB photo is totally in the EOTB. These are great rules! I'd like to know if #5 comes into play!! ;) I think this rates as "a photo worth posting"!
@agedrunner@voiceprintz Thanks Richard and JT! I was a bit unsure posting this, and you've given me a wonderful shot in the arm to stay with it! JT, I'm glad you thought my rules were reasonable. I figure 5 is an important one!
I write such rules for a living, Taffy! :) I know good rules when I see them. I usually write an "all done" at the end, as well, so the rule follower can celebrate an end and make choices about a new beginning! Hence, another cause for celebration.
@voiceprintz :-) What a fun job to write rules -- especially for others to follow! I actually get to do that too, for my students, now that I think about it! Probably came more naturally than I'd have thought to write them for myself, and also give myself an 'out.'
@swguevin@julzmaioro Thanks Sheila and Julia! I have had mixed feelings about lensbaby photos. Some use it for a particular style they are known for and I love that I can recognize their images. But I didn't want to just copy what others have done. Figuring out what it CAN do, that I would like, is definitely challenging -- it's such a weird little lens. Thanks so much for your comments and encouragement.
I teach my students how to write rules, as well as write rules for them as you do, in addition to writing rules for others. Not everyone thinks my writing rules is "fun" especially when they have to follow them! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. :)
cute rules. I can't decide if I should get a lensbaby or not. I'll wait and see how you feel next Saturday :-)
I really like this shot and it works beautifully with the lensbaby. Gorgeous tones!
Oh, I love your rules, especially #5! I agree with JT, I think it's personal preference about LB shots but I can see what a learning curve it must be. I'm so tempted to get one. Can I ask which you went for? When I first saw lensbaby photos a few years ago I wanted one instantly and intented to use it for my flower shots.
Love your shot and think you nailed your focus point.
@bella_ss I bought the Muse version. Mainly because that's what @jyokota and @vankrey bought when we were in Japan and I was using Michael's for practice there. It also was less expensive than some of the newer models and I didn't want to invest that much in the lens as I wasn't sure I'd use it that much. Check out Michael's album for examples of ones that are more like what I'm going for -- not quite totally abstract, but using the blur to emphasize what's in focus, if that makes sense.
It's been fascinating to read all the comments. I don't even know what a lensbaby is ( be accurate when you write Margaret you know it's a lens!) Try again. I don't know what a lensbaby is for, but I do know I like this picture lots. There's great focus on the eggs and on one part of the nest, but what I like best is what the light has done to it. Would you mind if I asked you a professional question?
@ceilidh Ask away, but I'm far from professional and very limited in my ability to answer questions outside the very narrow range of what I've learned from 365 friends!
I love self imposed rules, especially when you give yourself license to break them!! These are very good rules, and this is a wonderful LB shot. I can definitely see you developing your own style with that lens, like you have done with all your other lenses, especially the wide angle. LB is a tough lens to master, and easy to give up on. I have the Composer Pro, and definitely need to put it on my camera more, but like you I have my misgivings about it. Before I got mine I saw some 365ers who participated in a month of LB, and I would definitely try it this time around if it got started.
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
Love the rules! Sounds just like me!
I have no idea what a good lens baby photo looks like, but I have been liking your lens baby posts. Looking forward to seeing more.
I love your rules Taffy especially no 5! I like rules but love when they come with a get out clause! I am watching your progress with the lensbaby with great interest. I thought I wanted one as they seemed fun but have come to the conclusion that I love a couple of people's work on 365 who use the lens and their work is so distinctive. But as you say what's the point in copying their work. I will watch to see if you can develop your own style. I think I am going to give this one a miss and concentrate of getting my hypofocal distance right so that I can get everything in focus!
I think day 1 of your week has been a great success. I love the softness of the twig. I often ask myself if I think I would have liked/preferred the same photo taken with an ordinary lens.
The best rules I've ever read.
Great rules, especially #5! I am going to enjoy watching your progress with interest. I have a birthday coming up tomorrow and I put out large hints about Lensbaby so keeping my fingers crossed that I may join your week with Lensbaby photos! Your first one, to me, looks brilliant, love the focus on the eggs and the softness elsewhere. I think one of the main decisions is finding the right subject to use this lens on and I think your subject here is great.
FAV! This does what I think lens baby should do -- get super focused on some part that's the emphasis, preferably off-center, and blur-zoom into it. Not that I can do it. I should follow your rules for lens baby, but that won't happen til I get to BI in August!
@creampuff Thanks Eve! This is really helpful. I had too narrow a view of what a 'lensbaby shot' -- thanks for putting it in this thread as I suspect others will be interested as well.
This one..a good lensbaby pic, I mean. So, mission accomplished! I am still there is more to discover, but you did it here! This is lovely and the focus is wonderful!
I don't know what "a lensbaby picture should look like", and I have expressed my feelings about lensbaby pics before, but I have to fave this as an example of a successful lensbaby image, in my opinion at least!
@taffy Sorry Taffy I should have made it clear that I meant as a literacy specialist. Because of the cuts at home the resource base with all the research journal and books has been scrapped. I have been booked to run some all day training for senior schools on literacy across the curriculum as it is increasingly a target from OFSTED. I have looked to see what is out there as I like to base my work on research. My books at home are dated so I was just wondering if you knew of any research that's been published within the last few years. Sorry to be a nuisance.
@ceilidh OH, that kind of professional!! I'm happy to help. Why don't you email me off-line about the types of research base and resources you are thinking of. I can send you online links to those that I find useful, and send you pdfs of those that I have access to from the island. My work email is taffy@uic.edu or teraphael@gmail.com works too. I'm happy to help if I can -- just need to know more specifics about what aspects of literacy you need. I can also get you connected to others if you're looking for things outside my area of expertise.
I've loved this delightful gathering that you set in motion with your followers! I wouldn't recognize a LB if I saw one, but I've seen some interesting results posted. Variety is always fun, and as with all things artistic, "we need lots of new tools"!
I love your lensbaby shot! Fav. I'm a big lensbaby fan, I find I use it whenever I want to do something creative. Not everyone likes or "gets" the look but I really love it. Try clicking on the lensbaby tag to see lots of other shots on 365.
I lent my lensbaby to a friend for 2 weeks and I'm really missing it!
Keep up the good work and don't get discouraged.
Now here, I don't mind it so much as the subject is "soft" anyway. But even this one, I'd prefer the whole nest to be in focus and maybe everything else in soft focus. I don't know it's just the way I see things- so much of this opinion must be taken in stride I suppose!
July 8th, 2014
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I really like this shot and it works beautifully with the lensbaby. Gorgeous tones!
Love your shot and think you nailed your focus point.
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
I have no idea what a good lens baby photo looks like, but I have been liking your lens baby posts. Looking forward to seeing more.
The best rules I've ever read.
I lent my lensbaby to a friend for 2 weeks and I'm really missing it!
Keep up the good work and don't get discouraged.