Stand a chance of winning a fun Lensbaby Spark lens for your Canon or Nikon DSLR with Orms Connect this month!
Update 2: Friday 19 October 12h30PM:
And the winner is… Martin Bolton!
Martin wrote:
“It means I won’t have to twist no more… just flex and jiggle.”
Congratulations Martin, we hope you have a lot of fun with the Lensbaby Spark, and that it inspires some very creative shots! As always, huge thanks to everyone that commented and shared the giveaway – keep your eyes peeled for future giveaways and competitions!
Update 1: Friday 19 October 12PM:
Entries for the giveaway are now closed! Thanks to everyone that entered! The winner will be announced shortly.
Hi everyone, hope you’re all having a great October so far! It’s time for our monthly giveaway again, and this month we’re going to spoil the winner with an awesome Lensbaby Spark!
If you’re unfamiliar with the Lensbaby range of lenses, all you need to know is that they are a lot of fun to shoot with, and the results aren’t like anything you can achieve with most ordinary lenses! With the Lensbaby Spark, you squeeze the lens closer to the camera to focus, and with the flexible bellows tube, you can shift the plane of focus, or “sweet spot” to anywhere in the frame by squeezing a little more on one side of the lens. Want to see more? View the two videos below.
The Lensbaby Spark In Action
How To Use The Lensbaby Spark
Photos Taken With The Lensbaby Spark
Awesome, right? To stand a chance of getting your hands on a Spark, simply read the instructions below and enter the giveaway! The Lensbaby Spark is available in Nikon F-mount and Canon EF-mount only.
How To Enter
Make sure that you have liked our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter, and then leave a comment on this blog post, answering one of the following questions:
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?”
Or
“What is the first photo you want to take with the Lensbaby Spark’s adjustable centre of focus?”
Rules
- The competition is open to all South African residents, 18 or older.
- The winner will be selected randomly, and will need to be a fan of Orms Direct on Facebook or follow @OrmsDirect on Twitter.
- Only one comment/entry per person will count. If you leave more than one comment, it will only count as one entry.
- No exchanges or returns available – the prize is awarded as is.
- The Lensbaby Spark is only available for the Nikon F-mount and Canon EF-mount. The winner will receive the appropriate lens mount version.
- Competition closes Friday 19 October at 12:00 PM.
Please note: We make use of Random.org to randomly generate a number corresponding to the eventual winner’s comment. We run the number generator once – the first number is the winner. All comments get checked for duplicates. The nature of this random system ensures that everyone has a fair chance of winning, which is very important to us. If you post under an anonymous nickname, we will attempt to maintain your anonymity.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.
This is such an awesome competition! The first photo I would take with the Lensbaby Spark would be….one of Cape Town’s awesome summer sunsets 🙂
First shot will be of my kids. They are always wanting to be the centre of focus, now that is possible!
My first photos will be some action shots at the Red Bull Vlugtag. After some practice shots of course 🙂
The first thing I will shoot will be the behind-the-scene photos of Cape Town, Dogtown’s music video!
My first pic using the Lensbury Spark Lens is Definately going to be of my kids roller-blading 🙂
City scape with miniature effect. That would be pretty awesome…
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?”
A Lensbaby Spark will allow me to take a lot more dynamic-looking, creative photos. It’ll change my whole mindset when it comes to photography!
The Lens Baby would make me focus on smaller details within the frame! More interesting shots for my creative portfolio!
How has no one commented on this?! As for the question, my answer is lots! The ability to control the focal point by not changing the focal length, but rather angle means that the photography is less about aperture, and more about art!
The Lensbaby Spark would make me focus on smaller details within the frame! More interesting shots for my creative portfolio!
A lensbaby may just change my total style of shootinig – I want to try EVERYTHING!! Looks like a ‘must have’ as much as a macro lens is a must have!
I think it coud help me with my fantasy themed photoshoots, which I absolutely crave!! Would be so much fun focusing on the model while the surroundings are blurred.
Fantastic Gadget. Would love to try it out around the beach.
Whatever comes to mind on that given time.
this is soooo cool! it would change a lot of things in the way i shoot! firstly it would allow me to be totally different and unique, i can just imagine how fun this would be to use when snapping away a live concert or even shoots of kids and toddlers or even macros and odd items! it would be the cherry on top of being unique and quirky…a new perspective on life would be put into motion…my “baby” needs this lens…:)
“What is the first photo you want to take with the Lensbaby Spark’s adjustable centre of focus?”
Orchard Street in Singapore 😀
It will allow me to capture the world the way I see it
I do a lot of streetstyle photography and the shark will allow me to get creative with creating the focus and drawing attention to perhaps a specific person in the crowd or a particular item of clothing they’re wearing.
The first photo I’ll take will be some sort of test shot, to get to understand a bit more about how the lens works, so it will most likely be a boring pic…
I am focussing on adolescent portraits at the moment and I will be getting up close and personal with some seriously awkward teenagers! Can’t wait! What a great prize.
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?”
It will completely change everything
whereas you’ve always had 2 options with your standard lenses, that being focal length and f.stop.. there is now an additional element that you can fiddle…
it will open up a whole new field for myself personally
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?”
Recently I’ve noticed my photography has become a bit too serious. With the Lensbaby Spark, it will put the fun back in my photography.
The lens baby will help me shoot more creatively, take out the perfectionist in me, see what I can come up with, without having the aperture perfectly all the time, playing with my hands on the lens physically will make it so much fun. If I win this Lensbaby, I will my use my SLR as a film camera and close the LCD with tape at the back. It will make my shooting experience more creative and unplanned, will let my photography expand in far more creative manner.
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?”
The great think about Lensbaby is that you are forced to learn how to shoot without AF, going back to the good old days when photography didn’t rely on auto for anything. Lensbaby Spark will improve my manual focusing and the sweet spot will improve my perception of focusing.
Finally I will be able to push my creative limits more! It won’t just change the way I shoot, it will change me.
What a sick lens! The first photo I’d like to take would be of the highway coming into town, with the harbour in the background. Sounds lame, I know, but I’m on the 20th floor and the view of the harbour is fantastic. I reckon the scene has great potential for tilt-shifty shots.
The lensbaby spark would push me away from my crisp sharp imagery and force me to explore a whole new world of adventerous photography!
I want to create a video Time-lapse of Table-mountain’s Table-cloth on a Tuesday afternoon at Two o’clock. While Slowly Sipping Sparletta with Spark the Lensbaby.
My first photo will be of my Kidrobot toys.
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?”
So many more opportunities to get those weird freaky effects out of anything ordinary
Would love to finally get my hands on a lensbaby! Would be perfect way to spice up an image with a distracting background or accentuate the focal point in a more creative way.
Definately use it for some cool shots of bands..
I would let rip with the birds in my backyard. I know it sounds kinda lame, but it would really develop my dexterity to adjust focus, the lense baby and zoom on these quick little guys.
I’m a band photographer, so this would make for some amazing live shots.
I think the first thing I’d shoot is my daughter – just to master the lensbaby ~ after that anything is game!
I’ve got a wedding for a funky young couple I’d like to try this on! It suits their creative style.
I would take a image of a flower but using off camera flash to make it look even more surreal.
Great gadget for shooting festivals. Yes please!
This lens will allow me to capture images in a fun creative abstract way – breaking out of the conventional norm of every day photos. I already see the world in a different yet beautiful way and with the lensbaby this will allow me to translate a vision into reality to share with the world.
The spark will change the way I shoot by letting me shoot more and editing less now that I can create the same effect inside the camera than I would normally spend hours trying to photoshop 🙂
I’d definitely give it a go at some concerts or extreme sports events – the blur would look great with motion I think!
I would take a pic of a barman mixing cocktails – with only his hands flininging the bottle in focus…
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?”
It would be a creative addition to some really funky shoots. Photography is an art afterall 😉
“How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way you shoot?” It wont change the way i shoot, but it will add more quirkyness & fun to what i shoot 🙂
First shot I’d take? Probably go down to the beach and play around with it, taking LOADS of different pictures :)))
It will and can only enhance any form of photography depending on how creative your mind is
The first shot ill take will be of an hover fly..those huge eyes in focus on the edge of the frame..Just magic!
Doing a photography road trip to Mozambique early next year! This would just make the trip> Would use it as much as possible…..
it’s a LENSBABY baby! Great addition to any camera bag. There is a fantastic spider in my garden … he’s the first
The question is not what I will shoot first, but rather how do I choose what to shoot first. It will definately enhance the way images are presented.
I have a few very creative videography ideas for this… and my kitten is definitely going to be a test subject! 🙂
First shot??? Not sure, all I know it’ll be awesome.
For the first shot I’ll travel up the highest building in CPT and shoot people from the top looking like little ants.
Would love the Lensbaby Spark to take pictures at sporting events…
This is the first time I have actually seen what a Lensebaby can do! I am starting my wedding photography career and I think this can create some great fun photos which brides are not used to… As for the first thing I would shoot. My old sneakers I would love to see if I can get some life into them again with the “speed” effect!
I would use it at wedding receptions to create some real artsy and fun photographs!
Lensbaby spark,will add a much needed spark of art to my portraits
Will shoot a portrait of an interesting character at Durban’s Golden Mile!
I would take some funky nice pictures on my wife’s new hair style, by saying “Check my Lens Baby! Gonna make your photos SPARK!”
First pic I would take would be a portrait of Charlie, my choc lab.
That would give me some different shots of the birds in motion series that I have been doing! Should be fun! Please!!?
I would take a fun shot of my “terrible” teenager twins !
I would take a picture of a wedding couple’s first kiss. When SPARKS fly and Butterflies tickle.
The Lensbaby Spark, would, in some ways, take me back to the completely manual shooting of my youth – A much more intuitive way of shooting – of choosing image settings on the fly rather than relying solely on an internal light meter and/or an automatic camera for the settings.
The variable focal sweet-spot is, for me, the icing on that cake, allowing one to emphasise areas of a photo in ways that are otherwise impossible.
this little lensbaby spark will revolutionize the way i shoot pictures by stylizing my photographs in unique ways in which only this lens can.
Perfect timing – doing loads of flower shots and the Lensbaby Spark will add even more creative flair
This lens will definitely spark some grooviness in my photos, baby, yeah!
I’ll take some crazy detail shots at a wedding.
gonna shoot some creative shots for my short film
Will use it to change the way I shoot to bring out what is not obvious in the frame and hopefully leave people guessing about the storyHope to use the new lens at Tiananmen Sq in Beijing on my trip to China in December – using it to try on street photography
I will take a photo of my best friend
First photo would have to be of my firstborn, my son. Before he came into my life my camera was my first love.
First photo would be of my friends climbing out leeukop!!!!
I will use it to further a particular aspect of photography that I am interested in.
Lensbaby spark looks awesome! It’s my sons first birthday next week and I’d love to capture the day with some unique shots using the lensbaby!
It will be my new found love of Downhill Mountain bike racing !!!
I’d take a photo of my old lens. We have to know where we came from to know where we’re going. 🙂
My first shot would be of the crowd at the Photo & Film expo coming up!!
The
very first photo I am going to take with the Lensbaby Spark is of the
kite surfers in Durban. We (my wife and I) moved down here six months
ago and I’m constantly astounded by the speeds they reach and how deftly
they turn around in the shallows only to shoot back out across the
water! It will make for the perfect action shot, but it demands the
Lensbaby’s unique characteristics to make it truly awesome!Liking your FB page and following as tatjanochka on twitter.
Would be so sick to capture live gigs and music shows.
crazy time-lapse lens! I will make the Cape Town version of “Rio city of Samba”
The first picture I would take would be a picture of my friend skateboarding.
The very first photo I want to take is that of the smile of a pretty girl that I know. I’m sue that it’ll work awesomely on my film camera too:D
I’d probably end up taking a photo of whatever’s right in front of me as soon as I got the lens. I really want to shoot video with this lens, I wonder if it’s capable! following you guys on Twitter, @coolpooldudes
The lense baby spark will help me get in touch with my creative photography by taking the technical side less seriously and just having fun.
PS.. Mike, I put your child through college 😛
I would make a picture of the first thing available and
It’s gonna be Legend… wait for
it…DAIRY!
The first photo I would take would probably be on a car editorial. Would be interesting to see the effects!
i would take a photo of my friend coming down a mountain on the long-boards!
My sister-in-law is such a talented photographer…..she’s really a natural….with no formal training, most of what she knows is self-taught, she loves what she does and her work is just amazing…..i wish she was a photographer when i got married 12 years ago….I would LOVE to win this lens for her….I’m sure it will take her creativity to a whole new level and help her to achieve those AWESOME shots even better…..she’ll know just how to work this Lensbaby…..using it to it’s full potential & showing us all her talent and skills….they’ll be like peas in a pod…..She always takes all my family pics at no cost….this is my chance to do something nice for her for a change;-)
Lensbaby Spark will add a fresh new dimension to my enjoyment of shooting close up portraiture. xxxshaun@gmail.com (Shaun Holman)
How will a Lensbaby Spark change the way I shoot? How can it not! ‘m sure the “Spark” in the title is a spark of creativity zapped into anyone who uses it for the first time. Please Orms, make this Lens my Baby!
This amazing gadget allows you to squeeze the lens closer to the camera to focus as well as being able to shift the plane of focus to anywhere in the frame by squeezing a little more on one side of the lens with the allowance of it’s flexible bellows tube. How awesome is that?! Following on Twitter as tdollie_001
This lens is perfect for creating a distinguished style when
it comes to shooting live bands. One can create so many focus points from
unique angles. The Lensbaby Spark will help
me, as up-and-coming photographer, help me to set my unique style and make a
name for myself. This lens is also perfect for having more artistic freedom.
Quirky fun creative portfolio shots
It will change the way I shoot by allowing me to experiment more, see different perspectives, and try creative ideas and see results, would love to get my hands on this Lensbaby spark!
My Lensfather is shooting blanks and looking to adopt a lensbaby from africa…
I have a Lensbaby Muse and Composer – this would be a perfect addiction to my equipment! I was hooked the moment I laid my hands on my Muse, and I would love to do a series of portraits with the Spark!
I can see the silhouette of a mountain biker riding over a rather large rock nestled between some trees – First photo
The first thing I want to shoot with the Lensbaby Spark that you’re going to give me is the Zombie Walk in Cape Town!
great little lenses!
Shooting with one of these babies would definitely add a whole lot of flare to my summer!
gotta be a portrait of my lovely fiance (brownie points…wink wink)
gotta be a portrait of my lovely finance (brownie points…wink wink)
looking forward to playing with my new lens this weekend.
..it will change the way I look at life..
it might just add that missing spark that i need to take the next step 🙂
The first image I’d take would be a portrait of my daughters playing
The first photo’s I’ll take is of kids at the skate park.
The first photo I would love to take with the Lensbaby Sparks adjustable centre of focus has to be a Macro shot of a flower, as I think the ability to adjust the sweet spot could do some amazing things with Marco work and could really be something with such a delicate subject.
.. the first pic I would take with the Lensbaby Spark would be of a beautiful scenery captured on our many travels .. and by being able to give a different fun aspect to photography.
The first photo I will take with the Lensbaby Spark would be a flower or any insect that crosses my path
I’ve been trying to figure out the fine points of tilt-shift lenses, but this one would let me quit worrying about details and just have fun with it :).
I just started my first lesson in photography,this will be a nice asset to my interest
Creative, creative, creative!!! Coolest thing ever to take on any shoot.
@OrmsDirect, the Lensbaby Spark will change the way I shoot by adding a new focus on capturing the perfect “sweet spot” plus my Lensbaby Fisheye is lonely!
Creativity is vibrance from within, what is creativity without versatility of the Lensbaby Spark?
well, as a very young photographer, i believe this will help me improve and maybe even a better photographer. they say you are only as good as you’re equipment…
….The Spark will give explosion to my love of photography …..simply can’t get enough…..
I would use it to create wonderful abstract images of flowers.
Inspiration for creativity…. Will make me think out of the box and take photo’s of everything in a totally different way!!
The Lensbaby Spark will dramastically change the way I shoot. No more need to apply vaseline to my lens, we can just get down and dirty real quick. So much more fun to be had!
I’d take a picture of the first thing I saw.
The very first photo I will take with the lensbaby will defintely be of my children. They are my muse 😉
Will add a rather fun aspect to taking pictures of the kids
Having recently moved to Cape Town, I am sure there will be many opportunities to use the Lensbaby Spark, whether to shoot in the glorious outdoors or in the quaint cafes and restaurants of the Cape. My first shot will be when I try it on street photography!
The Lensbaby will definitely loooosen me up to get creative and have fun with my photography!
photo #1 would be an archer on the line shooting!! Awesomeness…action packed.
I would capture the wire & beaded angels that float in the trees in the front of the house – the way the light plays with them – they seem to capture the imagination from afar
I would LOVE a Lensbaby – I can’t wait to shoot innovative portraits 🙂
The first photo I am going to take is a portrait of My grandmother that has immigrated back to the UK, willing to save it for a special occasion like that
The first thing that catches my eye when I walk out the door with my camera
My out of focus piccies will now looked properly planned and I will proudly show the Spark – I will use it to shoot everything!!!!
Devo do a proper nature shoot if i had one of these babies…c what i did there:)))
Will like to use this baby in some close up wedding shots, it will defenitely change my point of focus in that area of photography, please orms let it come my way
I ve always thought that blur is awesome in photos and this lens could be useful for more accurate and special blur in my photos
looks like a great tool to experiment with…..
Would try some cool long-boarding shots with this lens!
The first photo I take will be of a donkey…cause they are awesome…just like a lensbaby
My first attempt with the Lensbaby Spark would be to capture unique portraits of close friends
yes please. nothing like a new point of focus.
Definitely of my roses that are blooming so beautifully after the recent rains we’ve had. The blur is awesome, the Lensbaby is my type of lens for sure!
I would love to use a lensbaby in bourdoir photography….getting the “sweet spot” in focus so easily in a sensual shoot would be awesome!! Oh yeah, lensbaby 😉
It means I wont have to twist no more… just flex and jiggle.
My first photo will be a creative portrait of my gorgeous wife
I would Iove to do a boudior shoot on a dune 🙂
A Lensbaby would help me to embrace the unpredictability and beauty of blur, and give more feeling and fluidity to my work.
The first thing I’ll shoot is a tiltshift-esque timelapse (assuming you can lock in a specific focus plain).
First shot would be of the awesome vista I have from my flat! Sweet
Id like to adopt a new baby and have a epic nature shoot…..c what i did there:)))
the first photo that I am going to take is one of myself and my new Lensbaby reflected in a mirror so that I can see how kewl I will look with it : )
I would shoot the smile of my Six months little girl, that would be great.
I have always wanted a Lensbaby, one of these will seriously bring out a more intimate and dreamy atmosphere in my portrait shooting of couples.
I reckon that I would try make my Basset’s ears look even more ridiculous… 🙂
The first photo that I will shoot is one of my wife in a wheelchair after her right foot and left knee operation so that she can see how hard it is for her husband to attend to her needs.
I’d take a photo around a bend.
Will go out and try it one anything…but will include in my arsenal of gadgets when going out to take pictures of my son and his buddies doing longboarding this weekend.
I will definately use it on my 2 daughters eyes first, they have beautiful large eyes…
First Photo would be of my GSD
The Lensbaby Spark will defiantly help open some creative ideas and put a new perspective to “twists and turns” in photos.
The first photo I’d take with the Lensbaby Spark’s adjustable centre of focus would be of my family 🙂
First picture…..my goofy(toothy) Ridgeback upside down on the settee!
The first photo I would take with the Lensbaby Spark would be of my cat.
My first photo’s will definately be of some of the local Skateboarders at the
Salesian Institute in Town. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYf8Yv2cv8M
The Lensbaby Spark would be perfect to capture some of the raw skateboard talent being perfected there.
My graduation with the friends I’ve made over the past 7 years.
The first photo I would take is of my collection of old camera’s – some inherited and some great online finds – my pride & joy!!
I will definately start taking some creative pics at our tennis league games.
first photo….something/someone in the main road.
My other older Lensbaby…
perfect for close-up of static aircraft …. that will be my VERY first mission!
I Will shoot a timelapse with my new Lensbaby and change the sweetspot throughout the process.. Should look interesting!
1st picture for sure of a shepherd and a landscape in the highlands of lesotho!
The first picture I’d like to take would be one with a galloping zebra at the centre to capture the fluidity of African wildlife.
Have liked on Facebook (Amy Williams) and followed on Twitter (missamysw) 🙂
“What is the first photo you want to take with the Lensbaby Spark’s adjustable centre of focus?” I will definitely take photos with it of my kids, there eyes is just magical!!
First come, first shot, there are too many amazing things in this country to decide what I would take first!
First image I will take will be of my boys.
Would shoot my baby (g-friend) and my baby(daughter) with the lensbaby 🙂
The first thing I would do is gather my gorgeous friends, climb lions head and take a portraits with our beautiful city in background. Living our best lives.
First Lensbaby photo:
Me doing a victory leap/handstand/cartwheel.
(yes!!)
It would be good to give other followers of lensbaby from other countries to compete and win in the give aways which would help in trying and experiencing the lensbaby spark
Gonna save it till I get down to the coast on holiday!
Finally got a decent camera and this would be the cherry on the top and a birthday present for me as well!