What is Glass Ball Photography?
Lensball, crystal ball, or glass ball photography images are pretty incredible. You’ve probably see images of them, popping up in your social media feeds. They are a lot of fun to work with, and are great for kicking up your creativity.
Glass ball photography (refraction photography) is when light is bent, as it passes through a glass sphere, and inverts the image. It’s spherical shape creates a fish-eye lens effect, and the result is pretty magical.
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Which Glass Ball Should I Choose?
Glass Balls come in a variety of sizes and weights. When you choose one, you’ll want to take into consideration how you will be using it, and the gear you will shooting it with.
Lensballs are the original crystal balls created for photography. There are other brands of Glass Balls
How to Take Amazing Photos Using Your Glass Ball
Getting the hang of shooting with a Glass Ball takes some practice. Here’s some tips to help you master the art of glass ball refraction photography.
Camera Settings
Like any type of photography, having the right settings are important. They can make or break your image.
- Manual Focus – Use manual focus for a sharp photo, and to have more creative control of the shot.
- Aperture – To get a bokeh (blurry) background, and keep your glass ball sharp, you’ll want to use a wide aperture. Start out around F/4 and make adjustments as you need to. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a narrow depth of field. This works well with landscapes, and both the glass ball and background will be in focus.
- Shutter Speed – Shutter speed will vary depending on if you are using a stand for the glass ball or holding it, and what time of day you are shooting. Slower shutter speeds can be used when using a stand, or if you are shooting during the Golden Hour or Blue Hour.
- ISO – Keep it low to avoid grainy images.
Composition
- Keep It Steady – Position your glass ball on a level surface. You don’t want it rolling away as you’re trying to get your shot.
- Positioning – The distance between your camera and glass ball is important to the final outcome of your image. For crisper images, move your camera away and closer to it for a more distorted look. Try different angles. Shoot from above or below the ball to create more visual drama. Hold the ball up to the horizon line or leave it on the ground. Play around with different looks.
- Lighting – Lighting is so important with a glass ball. The subject in the ball needs to be well lit or you risk your image not turning out. Sometimes it’s just a matter of re-positioning yourself or the glass ball.
Creative Glass Ball Ideas To Try
- Take a video – Capture movement inside the ball. Shooting at the beach is great for catching the motion of ocean waves.
- Shoot in B&W – Shooting in black and white will give you some amazing images, and can be a nice change from color.
- Take a selfie – Just for fun, use a tripod
and remote shutter release
Best Subjects for Glass Ball Photography
You can pretty much take great shots everywhere with your glass ball. Whether you shoot outdoors, or in a studio, there is no limit to the creative images you can produce. Here are some subjects that emphasize the effect of a glass ball.
- Water
- Landscapes
- Sunsets
- Reflections
- Nature – flowers, trees, water
- Leading lines
- Cityscapes
- People
- Architecture
- Patterns
Safety
The glass ball is quite a powerful magnifying glass. In sunlight you can burn yourself with it very quickly. It can burn grass, and also start other items on fire, so be conscious of what can be ignited.
Conclusion
Glass ball photography is a fun way to try something new, get yourself out of a rut, and add some creativity to your work. We’ve equipped you with some glass ball photography tips. Now, get out there with your Glass Ball
