In this episode of Lensbaby Presents, host Liz Wilson sits down with Lensbaby Ambassador Carol Vipperman for an inspiring conversation about photography, creativity, photo walks, experimentation, and finding beauty in the everyday.
Carol shares how a simple point-and-shoot camera and a trip to Europe unexpectedly sparked her photography journey. What began as taking a camera along on daily walks soon became a completely new way of seeing—transforming ordinary neighborhood scenes into opportunities for creativity, curiosity, and joy.
Carol also shares her philosophy of Camera Walking—taking a daily walk with your camera for better health, fitness, and creativity.
Rather than rushing through familiar surroundings, she encourages photographers to slow down and look for the details we normally miss: flowers, reflections, light, lines, textures, objects left behind, and unexpected stories hiding in ordinary places.
Sometimes changing your photography doesn’t require traveling somewhere new.
Sometimes you simply need to look differently.
Carol also discusses her journey with Lensbaby lenses, including the Velvet 56, Velvet 85, Sweet 22, Double Glass II, Soul 45, and other creative optics, and explains how using a different lens can completely change the experience of photographing the exact same location.
The conversation also explores toy photography and miniature photography, where Carol discovered a playful new way to communicate emotion and tell meaningful stories through small subjects.
One of the biggest lessons from this episode?
Photography is better when you experiment.
Whether you’re a beginner photographer, creative photographer, Lensbaby user, flower photographer, toy photographer, or simply looking for photography inspiration, this conversation will encourage you to grab your camera—or even your phone—step outside, slow down, observe, and create.
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 – Step outside and start observing
01:10 – Finding beauty right outside your front door
02:09 – Changing your perspective
03:08 – Photography, walking, and movement
04:28 – Meet Lensbaby Ambassador Carol Vipperman
05:27 – How Carol started photography
06:41 – Moving beyond the point-and-shoot camera
08:45 – How camera walks changed everything
09:54 – Camera Walking: health, fitness & creativity
11:08 – Finding beauty in familiar places
12:46 – Discovering creative photography with Lensbaby
13:50 – How the Velvet 56 started Carol’s Lensbaby journey
14:46 – Using different lenses on the same photo walk
18:03 – Carol’s favorite Lensbaby lenses
19:28 – Why Carol usually carries one lens
20:29 – Using creative constraints to improve photography
20:42 – Overcoming photography challenges
21:20 – Learning indoor photography and lighting
22:29 – Why continuous learning matters
24:31 – Discovering toy photography
26:02 – Creativity, play, and storytelling with toys
29:48 – Using photography to communicate emotion
31:03 – What Carol is excited about creatively
34:04 – Photography speed round
34:49 – The most overrated photography rule
36:12 – What makes a photograph interesting?
36:44 – Photography is better when you experiment
37:05 – Finding subjects beyond flowers
40:16 – Learning photography online vs. in person
42:54 – The freedom of photographing without a plan
45:53 – One lens, one subject, 24 hours
48:00 – What does it mean to shoot extraordinary?
Try this photography challenge yourself:
Grab one camera and one lens—or just your phone—and step outside.
Before taking a picture, spend a few minutes simply observing.
Look for light.
Look for texture.
Look for movement.
Look for reflections.
Change your perspective.
Get low. Look up. Slow down.
Then photograph whatever catches your attention.
You may be surprised by what was there all along.
If this conversation inspires you, subscribe to Lensbaby Presents for more conversations about creative photography, Lensbaby lenses, visual storytelling, artistic experimentation, photography education, and finding new ways to see the world.
What does extraordinary creative freedom mean to you as a photographer? Our mission is to give photographers the tools to move through their fear of shame, judgement, guilt, and being a part of the status quo. Photography isn't about fitting in. Photography is about discovery, risk, getting out of the box, saying no to what everyone else is doing and being EXTRAORDINARY as defined by you.
We believe that creativity isn't about what THEY do. Photography is about what YOU want to do!
What does being a photographer mean to you?
How do you #ShootExtraordinary
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