"Making My Own Candy" - Lensbaby Co-Founder Craig Strong

B&H Photography Podcast

Jill Waterman

Podcast, Photography, Arts, Visual Arts, Bh, Photo

4.6 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 November 2021

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast we welcome the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Lensbaby, the special effects lens manufacturer. Lensbaby was started by Craig Strong in 2004 and quickly established a name for itself. Over the years, they have added lenses, optics systems, and accessories to grow their brand while maintaining their emphasis on creative expression and embracing imperfection.

With Strong, who worked as a staff and freelance photographer before co-founding Lensbaby, we discuss tinkering to create a prototype, founding the company, growth decisions, and motivation. We also talk about dealing with successes and failures in the very competitive camera and lens business.

On the gear side, we ask questions about the research and development of lenses, the various mounts available with Lensbaby lineup, and we get a sense of what is on the horizon for the company in 2022.

Guest: Craig Strong

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to the B&H Photography Podcast.
0:04.1	For over 40 years, B&H has been the professional source for photography, video, audio, and
0:09.0	more.
0:10.0	For your favorite gear, news, and reviews, visit us at bnh.com or download the B&H app to
0:15.5	your iPhone or Android device.
0:17.7	Now here's your host, Alan White.
0:20.4	Greetings and welcome to the B&H Photography Podcast.
0:23.5	Today, John Harrison, I will be chatting with Craig Strong, who is the co-founder, Chief
0:27.6	Creative Officer and Chief Bottlewisher of Lensbaby.
0:32.0	Craig was a working photojournalist and freelance who, when he and co-found the Sam Partue, debuted
0:37.0	the original Lensbaby at the 2004 WPPI Conference and Trade Show.
0:42.8	It was, in fact, a hit by the end of the show.
0:45.3	They sold every lens they brought along.
0:48.0	New iterations of Lensbaby's following them by 2010, their first straight-bodied standalone
0:53.0	lens was on the market.
0:54.9	Today, Lensbaby offers a wide range of special effect lenses and optics of varied focal
0:59.4	lengths and mounts for DSLRs, mirrorless, and scenic cameras.
1:03.8	More importantly, Lensbaby, which has established itself as a well-recognized company synonymous
1:09.2	with ingenuity and creativity, has gone from a novelty item to a true working tool amongst
1:14.3	professionals.
1:15.3	Today, we'll be learning about how all of this came to be and maybe hear about the latest
1:19.7	developments from Lensbaby.
	...

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