Just how many types of blur are there? You might rightfully ask, and Lensbaby will respond “lots”. Their newest standalone lens, the Lensbaby Sol 45 was released today, and it takes creative blur to a whole new painterly level. I’ve had my hands on a beta model for several weeks now, and you can colour me …

Today, Lensbaby announced their latest bundle of joy, the Burnside 35. They were kind enough to send me a top-secret advance copy of the lens a couple of weeks ago so that I would be ready to share my thoughts with the readers of Improve Photography. Here’s my take on the Burnside 35. The solid …

If this is the first you’re hearing of Laowa (sometimes known as Venus Optics), I’m sure it won’t be the last. They are a relatively new Chinese lens manufacturer, and they have been making some really cool and unique specialty lenses. First, they came out with the 60mm 2:1 Ultra Macro lens, you can read …

Whether you are planning a Caribbean getaway where snorkelling coral reefs will be on the itinerary, or you just want to get better photos of your kids in the pool – at some point the photographer in you is going to demand a shot that can only be achieved by getting IN the water with …

As photographers, we are always looking for unique angles and perspectives, exceptional light, and compelling compositions. In a world full of photos, it’s not easy to show something commonplace in a different way. A way that people have never seen before. Infrared photography shows people how the world looks in a spectrum of light that …

Bokeh refers to the way a lens handles points of light that are not in focus. From well-defined starbursts at f16 or higher, down to big, soft, blurry balls at f2.8 or lower, a lens is judged on how well these effects please the eye.  Most of the big players in the lens manufacturing world are …

Introducing the brand new Lensbaby Velvet 85. Is it the lens of your dreams? It is certainly the stuff dreams are made of. The 85 mm focal length puts it squarely in the portrait lens range, making it a welcome addition to the Lensbaby family of velvety, soft focusing lenses. Preceded by the Velvet 56, …

Do you ever drool over photos of exotic places online, but feel like you can’t compete? Expensive travel isn’t the only way to show your viewers fresh sights and perspectives. I don’t care where you live, macro photography is a gateway into a whole new world, right in your own backyard. The Laowa 60mm 2:1 …