This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
What Camera? What Lens? What Dial?
Are You Wondering:
- What camera to buy?
- What lens(es) to buy and use?
- What dials and buttons are useful and easy to use?
- When to use this lens or those settings vs another lens or settings?
- How to learn without relying on confusing charts and numbers?
- Does all this matter (only if you want to fully use cool features in digital cameras to have fun and create your own style)
If yes, you are in the right place!
You’ll save time and money with this overview of essential Photography insights and tips.
Hi, I’m Jenny Lens, mfa, one of the world’s most published and exhibited punk rock photographers.
Create the images you envision starting now.
This differs from Photography for Branded Storytelling Images because it’s faster, more focused on the nuts and bolts of photography. Branded course goes into Studio tabletop photography and is more detailed.
This is more about everyday usage. More of a quick start overview, but in-depth about lenses and dials.
Items photographed with clear discussion include detailing what lens, dial settings and why those used in the photos you’ll see: Flowers, Jewelry and other products, Food, Sports (at park and beach), Children Playing outdoors, Live Music and more.
4.5 inspiring, fun hours to master basic lenses, dials, and settings!
Sharing tips I use all the time. Really made a huge difference and improvement in my photography!
“Jenny’s online photo class has been a fun and easy way to introduce myself further into the world of photography and get some amazing insights from one of the real talents. I would rate my course 10/10 for inspiration alone. Thank you Jenny!
I actually sprayed that last flower with a spray bottle to get more interesting image like you did in one of the lessons in “Photography for Branded Storytelling Images.” ~ Mark Heck, massage therapistHi Jenny!!! I love the course!!! I’m half way thru….so good. So thorough and comprehensive.
Btw, you have a wonderful speaking/teaching voice. I would have loved having you as a teacher in college!
Learning so many tips and being so inspired with Discussion of Tarot Resources!! (How to Create Tarot or Oracle Cards using Clip Art and Photos) ~ Tricia Minette, paralegal (and Rolf).
Adorama, THE most prestigious photo gear supplier and photo lab for decades, said I am one of the ten most influential rock photographers of all time.
Wow, don’t YOU WANT to get insider secrets from someone who gets THAT kind of press and recognition?
“Jenny Lens was not just one of the few photographers chronicling the early punk scene in both North America and London, she was also one of the few women working in a very male-dominated field. Her life is pretty fascinating and made up of the three acts usually associated with characters in movies and novels.”
When I taught at UCLA and Santa Monica College, fees were more than 10 times higher! Still are!
- Look at photos created specifically photographed just for YOU and your best learning experience
- No need to understand charts or math, unlike so many confusing courses, manuals, books, videos and blog posts
- Much better to see these images than look at charts or lots of text
- You’ll see one subject photographed with varying lenses and settings (usually flowers, which you can easily test with your gear, but could use food or other objects)
- You’ll clearly see how changing dial settings and/or lens radically changes what your photo looks like
- You’ll see how light affects the image, the lens and settings
- Tips on creating visually compelling images
- Phones vs Cameras
- Tips for photographing for varying social media sites and image proportions
- Wide Angle, Telephoto, Macro and Zoom lenses
- NO numbers, charts, diagrams to memorize!
- Every lesson in each online workshop is listed and accessed separately, even for bundles
- Lifetime access for each online workshop
- Watch whatever you want, whenever you want
- Lessons last as long as you want or need to complete a particular project or goal
- No tests, no grades, no pressure
- See and learn how and why a REAL artist uses REAL tools and techniques to create compelling, memorable images which convey stories, add content and context to whatever story is being told
- I share mistakes, gotchas, and work-arounds
- You don’t have to be perfect to create art
- But learning, using and enjoying art and marketing basics really make a difference!
- Feel good, have fun and go with the flow.
- Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection
- Chrome using tablet, laptop and computer monitor are best viewing experiences
- (Safari is problematic. I love Macs. But Chrome browser is so much more powerful and easier to use.)
- Designed on and for larger monitors
- You can use Android and IOS. Not optimum choice for most of the courses due to small screen size
- This is about seeing and understanding how and why visuals make huge differences in our lives, creations, work and communities
- Best learning habit, optional, but THE best tip I can ever give anyone: Taking notes digitally or with pen, pencil, paper
- ALL text and images are the property of attributed copyright holder(s).
- DO NOT copy text or images or vids and use elsewhere.
- Do not sell, give away, share or in any way distribute any of this content without expressed written permission from Jenny Lens, MFA.
- Exceptions: public domain or credited to another source.
- Please link to DreamingBig.Rocks and please mention my name. (Thank you!)
- Learn from someone in the trenches!
- No refunds
- Thank you! Now go have fun!
Free Coloring Book Pages – Special Limited Time Offer
Get some of my most beloved, iconic Punk Photos and fun floral images to color.
Plus get my Gotta-have Best Digital Tools List. Only when you Sign up for my erratic emails and newsletters.
You’ll get 5 of the 8 images below. Want all 8 and see how to color them? Take the Tarot or Oracle Cardmaking course.
Plus more bonus images and info in the “Watch. Create. Shine” Workshop Courses or Special Bundles.
Jenny Lens, Punk Pioneer, when Punk Was Fun
Artistic Alchemist, Creative Instigator, Transformation Teacher, Punk Photographer and all that jazz
My mission is to remove fear and doubt, be inspiring and share the magic of art and tech.
“Please investigate Punk Pioneers by photographer Jenny Lens, who captured the scene so perfectly.” Henry Rollins, LA Weekly
“The infamous Jenny Lens, supreme master of the punk rock photo.” ~ San Francisco Bay Guardian [And straight up rock too!]
“The was a time when Punk Rock was dangerous, man — in a cerebral way. And Jenny Lens was there to record it all.” ~ Garage Magazine
Patti Smith called me “the girl with the camera eye.” Shouted from LA’s Roxy stage, pointing to me, Nov 15, 1976.
Patti told me “She still dares other photographers to take better photos than I.” The Roxy, August 2002.




“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
“Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
~Emerson