"Omni is such a powerful tool to have in my bag! Being able to directly attach the screw-on filter and not have to worry about it during the session is a perk I never knew I needed. I'm able to keep the small prisms in my pocket or even attached, being able to grab them at the quickest convenience to create unique shots with the ease of one movement. With portrait work, people are constantly looking for what will set this session apart from the next and OMNI brings that extra little magic. “
The Lensbaby Omni Filter System is the newest product from Lensbaby and yet again, they've blown this creation out of the water. It's so easy and fun to use, but unlike all the other products from Lensbaby, the Omni Filter System is created to be an extension to your straight lenses. I have my Omni currently hooked up to a Sigma 85 mm 1.4 and Nikkor 50 mm 1.8 and neither of them have left my camera the entire time I've had them. The screw-on filter is sized to the thread of your lens and includes two sliding magnetic arms with a rotating ball for maximum usage and multiple fun shaped prisms. Something I look for in gear and techniques is how a will product extend my creativity with less editing and time spent in front of a computer. Since having the Lensbaby Omni, the results I've been able to achieve in camera are stunning and incredibly unique, an attribute many of my clients are also looking for in their photos.
The kit comes with three different fractals, the Crystal Seashorse, the Stretch Glass, and the Rainbow Film. When I first used these fractals, I was on the Las Vegas Strip and the amount of effect I was able to capture due to all the twinkly lights was so intense! Every way I turned, the look I was getting in-camera was different with each click.
The next location I attempted to use the three main fractals was at sunset with a single model. This location was a little bit more difficult to achieve the look I was going for because I'm used to shooting directing into the sun for a backlit photo. Due to the amount of light that was coming through the glass, majority of my shots were either blown or out of focus because my camera couldn't find a focal point. After finding some shade and waiting for the sun to be almost gone, I was finally able to figure out how to manipulate the effect to create something usable. These images became some of my favorite shots since using the Omni.
The third place I wanted to try the Omni Filter System was in a studio with my Alien Bee lights. I think this one of my favorite times to use the Omni because of how easy it was to control the light and the direction I wanted it to go. I was able to try different apertures on my camera to see how the effect changed when not as much light is able to enter through the lens. I found that when the aperture isn't shot wide open, you really start to see the shape of the fractal you're using. When the camera is set to F1.4, the depth of field becomes very shallow and blurs whatever is right in front of it. But when set around F5.6 - F8, the blur starts to go away and you really see how the fractal interacts with the subject and how the effect intensifies.
Overall, I think my absolute favorite time to use the Omni Filter System is right before the sun goes down and at night time. I found that for me, those were the most dynamic and beautiful shots I was able to create. Ultimately, this entire system is great for that extra added flare to any photo that you can create in-camera. It takes time out of sitting in front of a computer or phone while going through thousands of effects that anyone can find online or in an app that EVERYONE can use. The Lensbaby Omni Filter System really is a tool to help create those ONE of a KIND photos.
For more info on the Lensbaby Omni, make sure to head over to the Lensbaby website HERE!