EP 02: Conversation Behind The Scenes with Carol Vipperman
Lensbaby Presents - A Photography PodcastShow Notes
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 s
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