EP 07: Conversation Behind The Scenes with Lisa Edney

In this episode of Lensbaby Presents, host Liz Willson talks with Lisa about using photography as a “rut buster,” embracing creative constraints, and finding new ways to see familiar places. From creative self-portraits and nature photography to mindful camera walks, Lensbaby lenses, and expressive light, Lisa shares how curiosity and experimentation can help photographers create work that feels more personal and alive.

Lisa also opens up about using photography as a form of expression and presence during her cancer treatment journey. Through self-portraits, formal gowns, light, movement, and creative lenses, she found ways to document both joy and difficult emotions while staying connected to the moment in front of her.

If you have ever felt stuck creatively, bored with your usual camera setup, or unsure how to create something new from the same familiar surroundings, this conversation will inspire you to change one variable, embrace the unexpected, and shoot what feels true to you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

● How to use Lensbaby as a creative “rut buster”

● Why switching lenses, aperture settings, Omni filters, or locations can spark fresh ideas

● How creative constraints can make photography more focused and imaginative

● Lisa’s approach to self-portrait photography and daily creative practice

● How to use the Lensbaby Sweet 80 and Velvet 85 for dreamy, expressive portraits

● Why practicing lighting on flowers, objects, or simple stand-ins can improve self-portraits

● How Lisa used camera walks during COVID to rediscover familiar locations

● How different lenses, light, seasons, and camera tools can transform the same subject

● The mindfulness benefits of nature photography and intentional observation

● How photography can help process emotion, uncertainty, gratitude, and personal change

● Why letting go of expectations can lead to more authentic images

● How yoga, presence, and photography support one another as creative practices

Lisa also shares her love for the Double Glass II and Soft Focus II creative aperture discs, including the bird, heart, star, spiral, and wavy-line effects. Plus, she reveals her dream creative shoot: making self-portraits at the beach in Hawaii with the Double Glass II and its creative bokeh discs.

Connect with Lisa Edney:

Instagram: @ledneyphotography

Website: edneyimages.com

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Chapters

00:00 Lensbaby as a Creative Rut Buster

04:03 Meet Photographer and Lensbaby Ambassador Lisa Edney

08:58 Self-Portrait Photography, Constraints, and Daily Practice

21:03 Camera Walks, COVID, and Seeing Familiar Places Differently

29:16 Photography, Healing, and Lisa’s Cancer Journey

40:01 Exploring a New Creative Environment in Downtown Tempe

43:42 Lisa’s Dream Shoot: Hawaii, the Beach, and Double Glass II

48:36 Favorite Lensbaby Gear, Light, and Letting Go of Expectations

55:04 Yoga, Mindfulness, and Shooting Extraordinary

57:15 Connect With Lisa Edney

Connect with Elizabeth (Liz) Willson: 

Website: elizabethwillsonphotography.com

Instagram: @Elizabethwillsonphotography

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elizabethwillsonphotography

Subscribe to Lensbaby Presents for more conversations with photographers, visual artists, and storytellers who are exploring creative photography and learning to shoot extraordinary.

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