Before OMNI: How a Shard of Green Glass Changed My Photography

There was a time—years before I knew what Lensbaby or OMNI Filters were—when I found myself photographing from instinct more than intention. I had no defined concept, no mood board, no plan. I only knew I needed to be out there, with my camera, chasing something I couldn’t name yet.

That day, I was out with my daughter. I’d been shooting for a while but nothing felt right. The light was fading, my energy was low, and I was just about ready to give up and head home. Then I saw it—a small piece of green glass on the ground. Broken, forgotten, nothing special. But something about it caught my eye.

Without thinking, I held it up in front of my lens and looked through.

And that was it.

What showed up in the frame was entirely unexpected—soft light leaks, layered reflections, a glow that made the scene feel alive. My daughter stood in front of me, and in that moment, everything fell into place. The image wasn’t just technically different—it felt different. It had feeling, emotion, energy.

I didn’t know it then, but that tiny moment with the broken glass was the beginning of something much bigger. It was my first real step toward the creative style I’ve built my work around today—years before OMNI Filters even existed. What I discovered in that instant was that photography, for me, wasn’t about perfection or planning. It was about emotion, spontaneity, and letting light lead the way.

The Photos That Started It All

My first light leak—captured with a shard of green glass and a completely open heart.

Shot through the same piece of broken glass—this time, the light found a single plant and made it glow like something underwater.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Sometimes the breakthrough moments come when we’re not trying so hard—when we’re ready to give up and something quiet invites us to stay. That piece of glass reminded me that tools don’t have to be expensive or polished to change the way we see. They just have to open a door.

And that’s exactly what Lensbaby—and especially the OMNI system—has done for me since. It’s not about adding effects. It’s about creating presence. Emotion. Depth. Discovery.

This post may have started as a scrap from the past, but it turns out, it was always part of the story.

Want to experiment with light and feeling in your own work?

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