We are delighted to announce a talented new addition to the Vanguard Professionals team: natural light photographer, Caroline Jensen!
Vanguard Professional Caroline Jensen, a Sony Artisan of Imagery, calls herself “a photographic artist living on the prairie.” Her favorite things include cozy nights in front of her natural wood fireplace, an expansive tea collection, and read alouds with her children. Photography is her expressive outlet and features emotive black and white portraiture, unique macro work, and colorful landscapes. Equipped with an Alta Pro 254CT carbon fiber tripod, a BBH-100 ball head, and a Sedona 51 camera backpack, Caroline also depends on Sony a7s, vintage lenses, and her favorite Lensbaby lenses that express her photographic voice perfectly. She has been featured in the magazines: Dreamer Journal, Sony Alpha Universe, and numerous times in Click magazine, including freelance work for Adobe. Her work has been featured in a long running gallery show in Scottsdale, AZ as well as on the packaging of the Lensbaby Sweet 50 lens. She teaches three popular workshops at Clickinmoms where she encourages creativity through both traditional and mobile photography. Learn more about Caroline, in her own words...
I am very excited to become a part of the Vanguard family! My work is often challenging and requires precision focusing. I love to shoot in very low light and at very shallow apertures, both of which require a steady hand. My favorite lenses are all manual focus and a great tripod is an absolute necessity when you are not only fighting shallow apertures, but also when fighting sub zero weather or driving rain.
The image below was taken in a room I had just painted. The bright sun was streaming in and I chose to expose for the highlights and send the shadows into darkness. Most of my work requires manual focus and this image was created with a Lensbaby lens that distorts areas of the image. Focus can be a challenge when shooting into bright sun or deep darkness and my camera must be secure so that fine adjustments can be made quickly and easily.
Low light photography is a passion of mine as well as exploring the rural areas around my home. These grain bins were sending waves of steam out as they dried the grain. The moon was in such a perfect position I just had to stop the car to take the shot. I always have to be ready at a moment’s notice and having gear that is ready and waiting for me is critical for making images I love.
This image was created in a split second with a manual focus, Lensbaby lens (the Sweet 50). My daughter was helping me test this lens and our formal session had ended when she ran to her tree house to play. She looked up at the sky and struck this dramatic pose without any prompting from me. I was glad that my gear was all set up and ready to go or I would have missed this shot. Portability is a key factor in all of my work!
Capturing connections between those I love is something that is very important to me. I love to wait for the decisive moment when spontaneous connection meets great composition. My dog and my little girl were exhausted after a long walk and collapsed in a heap on the lawn. I love how their love for each other is so palpable here.
One of my great loves is very low light photography. This image was lit entirely by one tea light candle with a touch of ambient light in the background. I love to test the limits of shutter speeds and ISO for my portraits. I have a new love of candlelight imagery that requires a steady hand.
Winter macro is a hobby that brings me great joy. I love to hunt around outside for dead leaves and branches that tell the story of the bleak winters here in Minnesota. I adore macro in any weather, but there is something special about the amount of effort it takes to find something beautiful when everything around me is suspended, waiting for spring. My goal is to capture something beautiful in a time of year that is both uncomfortable due to the weather and awkward due to ice and snow. All of my winter macros are made with manual focus, so a great tripod is an absolute necessity!
This image was created in very inclement weather too. It was also shot at f0.95, with a manual focus lens. I love to make images like this that play with color and depth of field. This singular leaf was hanging on for dear life as this fragile branch whipped in the icy wind. It was below zero and nearly dark outside as I shot this image, but I love to rise to the challenge and find beauty in unlikely places.
Caroline Jensen
Visit Caroline's website, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
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