Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Lensbaby Presents - A Photography Podcast
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP 03: Conversation Behind The Scenes with Tony Hogrefe | 15 sept. 2026 | 00:58:21 | |
What happens when you stop chasing the perfect image and allow the creative process to evolve? In this episode of Lensbaby Presents, host Liz Willson welcomes photographer, veteran, and Lensbaby Ambassador Tony Hogrefe for a powerful behind-the-scenes conversation about photography, creativity, storytelling, and healing through art. Tony shares how a black-and-white film photography class after returning from Iraq changed the direction of his life. What began as an elective became a lifelong creative practice, a way to communicate what could not always be spoken, and a path toward making meaningful portraiture. Together, Liz and Tony explore why photographers often get stuck trying to force an image to match the vision in their head, and why letting go can create more freedom, better work, and more meaningful results. Tony also discusses his ongoing Vestiges of Service project, a portrait series focused on the lives combat veterans lead after war. Through intentional conversations and handcrafted editorial portraits, he explores memory, grief, brotherhood, reconciliation, post-traumatic stress, and the human stories that continue long after military service ends. You will also hear how Tony uses Lensbaby lenses, including the Velvet 85, Sweet 35, Sweet 50, Sweet 80, Double Glass, Edge 80, and Twist 60, to create soft, emotional, memory-like images that help viewers focus on what matters most in the frame. Whether you are a portrait photographer, creative professional, veteran, storyteller, or someone seeking more creative freedom behind the camera, this conversation is an invitation to get out of your own way, trust the process, and make work that feels true to you. In this episode, you’ll learn: ● How to let go of rigid expectations in photography ● Why the creative process matters as much as the final image ● How intentional camera movement can expand creative expression ● How photography can become a tool for personal expression and reflection ● How to create portraits that reveal a person, not just a physical appearance ● Why client connection is essential for meaningful senior portraits ● How Lensbaby lenses can add softness, selective focus, emotion, and visual storytelling ● The story and mission behind Tony Hogrefe’s Vestiges of Service portrait project ● Why creative risk and failure are necessary parts of growth ● What it means to “shoot extraordinary” Connect with Tony Hogrefe Follow Tony on Instagram: @tony.hogrefe.photography Search for Brass and Glass Studio to find more of his work and connect with him online.EP-03Conversation-Behind-The-Scenes-with-Tony-Hograve.txt Explore creative lenses, optics, and OMNI effects at Lensbaby, and use code PODCAST for 10% off as mentioned in the episode.EP-03Conversation-Behind-The-Scenes-with-Tony-Hograve.txt If this conversation inspired you, leave a comment below: What helps you get out of your own way creatively? Subscribe for more conversations with photographers, Lensbaby Ambassadors, visual storytellers, and artists who are redefining what it means to shoot extraordinary. Chapters 00:00 Letting Go in the Creative Process 01:40 Intentional Camera Movement and Creative Frustration 03:13 Finding Freedom Beyond the Final Result 03:48 Why Lensbaby Encourages Creative Experimentation 05:33 Welcome to Lensbaby Presents 05:59 How Tony Hogrefe Started Photography 06:51 Falling in Love With Black-and-White Film Photography 07:36 From the Marine Corps to Photography 09:03 Teaching Photography and Sharing Knowledge 10:47 “I Want to Make Something Pretty” 11:13 How Photography Helped After Iraq 12:21 Landscape Photography, Quiet, and Meditation 12:58 Using Portraiture to Say What Words Cannot 14:04 Photography as a Creative Outlet 15:24 Process Creates the Product 16:58 Letting a Photograph Evolve 18:06 Leaving the Photography Studio Behind 18:59 Photograph the Adjective, Not the Noun 21:11 Choosing Work That Protects Your Creative Joy 21:46 Creating Personal Senior Portrait Sessions 22:20 A Book Lover’s Custom Senior Portrait Session 25:35 Experience Creative Freedom With Lensbaby 26:32 How Tony Uses Lensbaby for Portrait Storytelling 27:12 The Velvet 85 for Soft, Feminine Portraits 27:49 Tony’s Favorite Lensbaby Sweet Spot Lenses 28:29 Creating Emotional, Memory-Like Images 30:37 The Vestiges of Service Project 31:17 The Origins of Tony’s Veteran Portrait Project 33:24 Life After War and Post-Traumatic Stress 35:22 Memory, Grief, Brotherhood, and Reconciliation 35:43 The Portrait Process With Combat Veterans 37:25 Goal: A Veterans Day 2027 Exhibit 38:32 Creating a Traveling Photography Exhibition 40:43 Finding Veterans for the Project 41:47 The Story Behind a Veteran Portrait 43:22 New Creative Projects and Senior Portrait Ideas 43:44 Creating a Forensics-Inspired Senior Portrait Session 45:37 Experimenting With Light Painting 46:23 Why Creative Clients Make Better Work 47:06 Saying No to Work That Drains Your Passion 48:44 Learning Through Failure 50:15 One Lens, One Subject, and 24 Hours 51:18 Using Self-Imposed Creative Limitations 53:04 Speed Round: Photography Gear and Rules 53:17 The Gear Tony Loves Most 53:23 The Most Overrated Photography Rule 53:29 What Makes a Photo Instantly Interesting 53:59 A Subject Tony Always Photographs 54:07 Photography Is Better When You Let It Happen 55:09 What It Means to Shoot Extraordinary 56:38 Where to Find Tony Hogrefe 57:39 Final Thoughts: Get Out of Your Own Way 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 Learn more about Lensbaby Https://www.Lensbaby.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/Lensbabyusa Elizabeth (Liz) Willson Website: elizabethwillsonphotography.com Instagram: @Elizabethwillsonphotography YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elizabethwillsonphotography #Lensbaby #LensbabyPresents #PhotographyPodcast #PortraitPhotography #CreativePhotography #PhotographyTips #PhotographerInterview #PhotographyInspiration #VeteranPhotographer #VisualStorytelling #SeniorPortraits #FineArtPhotography #PhotographyCreativity #IntentionalCameraMovement #ShootExtraordinary
| |||
| EP 02: Conversation Behind The Scenes with Carol Vipperman | 08 sept. 2026 | 00:49:37 | |
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 Learn more about Lensbaby Https://www.Lensbaby.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/Lensbabyusa Elizabeth (Liz) Willson Website: elizabethwillsonphotography.com Instagram: @Elizabethwillsonphotography YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elizabethwillsonphotography | |||
| EP 01: Conversation Behind The Scenes with Michael Anthony | 01 sept. 2026 | 00:58:26 | |
Behind the Scenes with Michael Anthony | Lensbaby Presents Welcome to the very first episode of Lensbaby Presents! In this episode, host Liz Willson sits down for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes conversation with Michael Anthony, Vice President and business partner at Lensbaby. Discover the inspiring journey of a creator who turned a childhood gift into a lifelong passion, ultimately leading one of the most unique brands in the photography industry. In this episode, we dive into: ● The Origin Story: How a Canon AE-1, gifted by his grandmother when he was just ten years old, forever cemented Michael's core identity as a photographer. ● The Business of Art: Why Michael believes marketing is the single most important element of running a successful business, drawing inspiration from Dan Kennedy's Magnetic Marketing. ● Breaking the Rules: Why Michael embraces his contrarian nature, famously declaring that "all of them" are the most overrated photography rules. ● The Power of Connection: An inside look at the Lensbaby Unplugged community and how it fosters a supportive environment for visual storytellers to share their art without judgment. ● Embracing Discomfort: Michael’s personal philosophy on why self-imposed challenges—like tackling the grueling 29029 mountain climbing event—are essential for personal and creative growth. ● Shooting Extraordinary: The history behind Lensbaby's defining mantra and what it truly means to step outside the normal to create art that tells your authentic truth. Connect with the Lensbaby Community: ● Check out the gear: lensbaby.com ● Join the conversation: Search for "Lensbaby Unplugged" on Facebook ● Follow on social media: Find them at @LensbabyUSA If you found this conversation inspiring, make sure to hit the Like button and Subscribe to Lensbaby Presents for more interviews with incredible creators! Elizabeth (Liz) Willson Website: elizabethwillsonphotography.com Instagram: @Elizabethwillsonphotography YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elizabethwillsonphotography Question of the Day: What does it mean for you to shoot extraordinary? Let us know in the comments below!
| |||