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I used a cheap tilt-shift lens to capture this bokeh-filled Christmas photo

I used a cheap tilt-shift lens to capture this bokeh-filled Christmas photo

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    Image of Santa Claus in an airplane decoration on a Christmas tree with large bokeh discs taken with a Lensbaby Spark 2.0.

Credit: Future

I feel like Santa delivered his fair share of Lensbaby Spark 2.0 lenses this Christmas. If you don’t want to spend on the best tilt-shift lenses, the Spark 2.0 offers a much cheaper alternative and is a great gift idea for photographers – or a gift under the tree – priced at under $150 in the US and UK. and about 250 in Australia.

This small tilt-shift style lens offers manual focus only and features a flexible, bellows-like design. You push the lens in and out to adjust focus while tilting and rotating the optics change the position of its sweet spot. The aperture range is from f/2.5 to f/22 and the included Lensbaby Sweet 50 (50mm) optics can be swapped out and replaced with any of the brand’s 15 Optic Swap glass modules.

I used the F-mount variant of my Nikon D800, but those with the best mirrorless cameras will be happy to know that the Spark 2.0 is also available with a variety of mirrorless mounts. If you’re on a tight budget, the original Spark is available for well under $100. If that’s still too much for you, I’ll show you below how to create an economical tilt-shift effect using the “freelensing” technique.

The Lensbaby Spark rewards creativity and its ability to create ethereal images can be used to create stunning close-ups, portraits, abstracts and more. However, I really wanted to take advantage of the bright colors and bright lights of my Christmas tree and prove that you can still be super creative during the holiday season when you’re stuck inside.

How I captured the holidays with a Lensbaby Spark 2.0

Hand holding Santa Claus in an airplane Christmas decoration

Hand holding Santa Claus in an airplane Christmas decoration

1. Find a cool holiday-themed decoration

Choose a suitable Christmas decoration for your motif. I used an ornament of Santa Claus on a plane to complement the Lensbaby Spark 2.0’s ability to distort images. The directional blur would then make it appear as if my subject was zooming through the image.

Hand places Santa Claus in a flat lay Christmas decoration on a Christmas tree

Hand places Santa Claus in a flat lay Christmas decoration on a Christmas tree

2. Place it on or in front of your Christmas tree

Place the decorations on your Christmas tree, making sure it is surrounded by fairy lights and reflective items like baubles. If your tree doesn’t fill the entire frame, place more lights in the background to fill in the negative space for really intense bokeh.

Manual adjustment of the Lensbaby Spark 2.0 tilt-shift lens

Manual adjustment of the Lensbaby Spark 2.0 tilt-shift lens

3. Familiarize yourself with the Lensbaby Spark aperture ring

I recommend using aperture priority or manual mode. The Sweet 50’s aperture ring allows you to switch from f/2.5 to f/22. I shot at f/2.5 to get the most intense bokeh, but as you’re still getting to grips with the Spark 2.0’s quirky focusing system, a smaller aperture is more forgiving.

Person holding a Nikon D800 with Lensbaby Spark 2.0 attached and pointing it at a Christmas tree

Person holding a Nikon D800 with Lensbaby Spark 2.0 attached and pointing it at a Christmas tree

4. Focus using the Spark’s bellows

Focus the Spark 2.0 by pushing the bellows inward and slowly releasing while keeping the lens level. I refined my focus by also gradually moving the lens closer or further away from the subject. Once your focus point is sharp, tilt the lens to move the sweet spot around the frame.

Man “free shooting” with a camera and lens, framing a Santa Claus in a flat lay Christmas decoration

Man “free shooting” with a camera and lens, framing a Santa Claus in a flat lay Christmas decoration

5. Try Freelensing

If you don’t have a Lensbaby Spark, you can use the “freelensing” technique to create fun tilt-shift style images. This works by removing your lens and holding it in front of the camera mount. You move the lens back and forth to focus, then tilt it to change the focal plane. Be careful. This makes it easier for dust or other particles to get stuck on your camera’s sensor.

Hand holding an old Nikon AF Nikkor 24-50mm lens against a bokeh filled background

Hand holding an old Nikon AF Nikkor 24-50mm lens against a bokeh filled background

6. Why an aperture ring works best

If your lens has an aperture ring, shooting wide open is no problem. Otherwise, see if there is a small lever that can be pulled back to open the panel. Try to hold the lens as close to the mount as possible to avoid light leaks – you can also close the gap with your hand. Finally, pay attention to your exposed sensor. Do not take photos in dusty conditions!

Quick tip!

Focusing with the Lensbaby Spark 2.0 takes some getting used to. I recommend playing around with the manual tilt-shift lens for a while to familiarize yourself with its moving sweet spot and bellows-like design before tackling a specific project.

You might also like…

Want to try a more conventional holiday-themed project? Learn how to take festive bokeh-filled close-ups with your Christmas tree.

And if you’ve ever wished you could capture intense bokeh with a wide-angle lens, did you know that you can use the Brenizer Bokeh Rama effect to increase background blur in your photo portraits?