How to Guide for Using Prisms In Your Photography Shoots

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Bending Light and Breaking Rules: Playing with Prisms in Creative Photography

Let’s talk about one of the most fun (and honestly addictive) ways to spice up your photography: prisms. If you’ve ever seen those dreamy, light-flaring, kaleidoscope-style images and wondered, “How the heck did they do that- how can I get that artistic flare?”—chances are, the photographer held up a piece of glass in front of the lens.

But not just any glass. Let’s break down some of the coolest tools out there- Lensbaby prisms, Prism Lens FX filters, and Fractal Filters—and talk about what they do, how they differ, and why they can seriously level up your creativity AND give you some effective prism photography tips.

A note on who I am: I am Alison Winterroth, and I have been a professional photographer since 2012. Throughout my time as a portrait photographer, there have been times I struggled with creativity, and working with different mediums and instruments has helped me break out of slumps. I absolutely LOVE working with prisms—they allow me to get creative effects directly in my camera (no Photoshop required). Each one of these is an item I have purchased and use regularly; none of these items were gifted to me for a review. I wrote this blog post because other photographers might be helped by seeing examples using different styles and brands of prisms!

So, Why Prisms?

Photographers have been holding transparent objects up to their lenses since the film days, but today’s tools are more refined (and safer for your optics). Prisms refract light in weird and beautiful ways—creating flares, reflections, rainbows, distortions, and duplicates of your subject. Think light leaks, but controlled.

The key? Doing it in-camera. This isn’t a Photoshop trick. You’re bending reality as you shoot, capturing something unique and unrepeatable. Every image is distinctive as a snowflake and oh-so-fun to create. Please know: there is a difference between high quality glass or crystal prisms and cheaper varieties. The cheaper the glass, the more likely the image will be cloudy, fuzzy, or not give you the look you want. I have bought the off-brands or the ones that aren’t meant for photography, and the results can be disappointing. I highly recommend using a glass photography prism (not plastic) or crystal filters that are made for photography/videography. Here are some brands I have found work well, and see how I use them!

Lensbaby: The Artistic Rebel

If you’ve shot with a Lensbaby lens, you know they don’t do “normal.” Their prism tools, like the Lensbaby OMNI Creative Filter System, are no exception. The system uses magnetic wands that hold bits of glass—like crystal spears or stretch glass that you can position and rotate in front of your lens without touching it.

What’s cool here is the modular, hands-free system. You can stack effects, rotate in and out, and experiment mid-shoot. The glass quality is solid, optically clear, with a touch of personality. Don’t expect flawless scientific glass; Lensbaby leans into artful imperfection. You get a rainbow effect, dreamy flare and soft distortion, not clinical precision.

These are great for outside the studio- I can snap these on and move them around to get different effects while keeping my hands free. Of course, I look a little wild doing so, but the images are totally worth it! My best results with the OMNI creative system are when I shoot directly into the light at golden hour.

Prism Lens FX: Built for Filmmakers, Loved by Photographers

Prism Lens FX tools look like something straight out of a cinematographer’s dream—and that’s the point. Their prisms and filters, like the Dream FX Filter or the Split Diopter, are designed with premium optical glass and coatings that minimize unwanted reflections and keep things tack-sharp where you want them- they’re honestly some of my favorite creative tools. They even have some faceted crystal balls.

The build quality is pro-level. You’re not getting some cheap chunk of plastic here.

These are tools designed to go in front of your expensive gear without degrading image quality. Plus, they’ve got a bunch of form factors—handheld prisms, filter-thread glass, even rotating kaleidoscope filters. Whether you want a subtle haze or an in-your-face fractal swirl, they’ve got something! Prism Lens FX is honestly my fave, so be prepared for an image overload. I took photos with some of the ones I like best, so you can see how they photograph. They come in different sizes and I screw them directly onto my lens when shooting. The only drawback is that if I use a different lens that is a different size, I have to hold up the prism to the lens. This isn’t too much of a problem for me, and many of these prism images were taken while handholding the prism.

Fractal Filters: Kaleidoscope Vibes, Crystalline Chaos

Fractal Filters are made for photographers who want to get weird—in the best way. These handheld prisms, cut like gems, have edges and angles that throw light in unpredictable but beautiful ways. Think reflections upon reflections, symmetry, refraction, chaos, and magic. There are different ways you can use these- directly over the lens, yes, but I will often turn them on their side to get different prismatic effects. There is honestly no wrong way to use these.

They’re especially great for portraits, adding that warped-glass edge around your subject’s face or creating wild, abstract patterns. The glass here is high-quality, laser-etched crystal, meaning you get crisp effects without sacrificing sharpness where it matters. Unlike basic acrylic prisms, these won’t yellow over time or scratch easily.

What I really like about the Fractal filters is that they have handholds so you can easily hold them and use them with pretty much any size lens. The fact they are handheld, and are larger prisms, which allows you to adjust and move the prism to suit the strength, texture and color you are looking for. I will say that these seem to be a bit of a step down in prism glass quality than some of the other different types of filters- particularly the Prism Lens FX. I do tend to get a softer image. I purchased the set of three filters from Fractal that includes: the Penrose, the Pascal and the Julia Fractal Filters.

Getting It Right In-Camera

One of the biggest draws to using prisms is that you’re not relying on post-production. You’re crafting the effect in real-time, reacting to light, movement, and angles in creative ways. It teaches you to slow down, observe, and create with intention.

But it also takes practice.

Here are a few quick tips:

Shoot with a wide aperture (f/1.8–f/2.8) to blur the edges and focus on your subject.
Use a longer focal length—I adore an 85mm or a 105mm lens for this, but you could also use a 50mm if you have one. Using a lens wider than a 50mm negates a lot of the prism effect, but if you have good results using them, please let me know! I don’t love how the wide-angle lens photographs, as the prism’s ability to create that kaleidoscope effect is hindered.
Move the prism slowly—tiny shifts can make a big difference.
Use backlight or edge light to get killer flares and reflections- but experiment with any available light.
Watch your hands in reflections—you’ll be surprised how often you photobomb yourself.
Manual focus helps, especially when the light bends unpredictably. I often focus first before I put the prism over my lens and avoid refocusing afterwards.
Remove the lens hood- you want more light, not filtered light to get the desired effects.
Try lots of different angles because light and angles can make a HUGE difference when it comes to prisms.

The way I recommend getting started is to put your camera on a tripod or stable surface and have a constant light source (I use a LED light and softbox, but you could use a window), set up some sort of vignette or still life (the trick is to get a stationary subject so you can concentrate on practicing with the prism), and move your prism around the lens to test it out. I particularly love the live view on my camera to see what it looks like before I shoot.

I have had the same results with my DSLR as with my mirrorless cameras and have even experimented with toy cameras, vintage film cameras, and instant cameras, so don’t feel like your equipment needs to be super high-end or even specific. Just use what you have to spark your creativity!

Final Thoughts

Creative prism photography is about more than just pretty effects—it’s about taking risks, breaking rules, and letting the unexpected into your process. Whether you’re using Lensbaby’s artistic tools, Prism Lens FX’s cinema-grade filters, or the wild refractions of Fractal Filters, the goal is the same: make something only you can make.

I love to photograph still life images with my prisms, but many people take them on the go and use them in landscape or street photography. If I had to choose a couple of my ultimate faves to get started, it would be the: Linear Prism Lens FX Filter, the Ghost Prism Lens FX Filter and the Fractal Filter set. All of these will give you lots of variety in your final image and give you an idea of which you are drawn to the most!

So grab a prism, tilt it toward the sun, and start experimenting. Just don’t blame me when you become completely obsessed.