In this edition, we bring you a new Image in Focus with a special offer, many new images, new sections to the website (which was totally revamped), and a photo tip on filter use. We have been very busy here at Bloom Photo. We have reformatted the entre website to make the site much cleaner and, we hope, more enjoyable for you. There is much more content on the site now so please check it out when you get the chance. We hope you enjoy the new site and this newsletter. If you have any suggestions for things you would like to see in these newsletters, email us at tips@bloomphoto.com and we'll try to accomodate!

IMAGE IN FOCUS
by Rebecca Bloom

This issue's Image in Focus is a beautiful photograph entitled "White's Butte, Grand Canyon". This image was taken while hiking along the Tonto Plateau in Grand Canyon National Park (see below). As we were hiking across the plateau, there were several hills to climb, and every once in a while, we would crest a hill and be rewarded with an incredible sight. This was one of those sights, and I have to say it took my breath away. I tend to be fairly picky when choosing images to make with the view camera because of the set-up time, especially when hiking in the heat of July, but there was no question when this scene came about. I set up the camera and Keith and his dad tried to find some shade to rest in (not that shade is abundant on the Tonto Trail!). About 30 minutes later we were back to hiking and I had an incredible image to share with those that can't make it to the Tonto Plateau themselves. I hope you enjoy this image as much as I enjoyed taking it and being able to offer it.

Click here to view a larger version of this issue's Image in Focus at the www.bloomphoto.com site. This image is located in the "Canyons" category.

SPECIAL OFFER:
If you wish to order this issue's Image in Focus, mention "IF#5" when ordering before September 15, 2001 to receive 10% off any size.

NEW IMAGES

Bloom Photography is happy to announce the addition of several new images to the online gallery in the "Canyons" category called "White's Butte, Grand Canyon", "Moran Point Tree", "Below the Rim",, "Dawn on Hermit Trail", "Hermit Rapids, Grand Canyon", and "Hermit's Creek Falls". These images were all taken on our Grand Canyon hike this summer (see below).   These images are currently ready for orders. We have also added images in the "Lightning" category and have introduced "Lightning II" as a new category because the Lightning gallery was getting too full. We hope to be adding "Lightning III" this summer if the monsoon really gets cranked up. The 12 new images in the "Lightning" categories are: "Light Shower"; "A Natural Fourth"; "Fish Point Cluster"; "Fountain Lightning"; "Thunderstruck"; "Nature's Fourth"; "Fountain Finale"; "Fountain Park Light Show"; "Cloudburst"; "Monsoon Storm"; "Nature's Fireworks"; and "The Penguin". We took in the fourth of July fireworks at the Fountain Park in Fountain Hills, Arizona this summer and were treated to not only the fireworks, but a natural display of lightning just beyond the park. Fountain Hills is known for having the tallest manmade fountain in the world, and the fountain is visible in some of the images. It was not running for the entire show, just the finale. We actually ended up staying for about an hour after the fireworks ended because the lightning storm was just getting started. I was glad we stayed! There are some surreal colors in the fountain images because of the floodlights on the cactus and the spotlights on the fountain. I hope you enjoy them.
 

NEW SECTIONS

We also added some new sections to the website. We added a bio on Rebecca as a photographer and a section on the equiipment she uses. Check them out! We also added a brief description of each image - some have stories, others have descriptions, others are simply goofy! We are currently adding online credit card ordering using the Paypal shopping cart system. We hope to debut that next month for your convenience. Feedback is welcome!
 

NEWS AND EVENTS
by Keith Chapman and Rebecca Bloom
 

EUROART 2001

Rebecca is still preparing for a rather astounding event... a trip to Barcelona, Spain to show and sell her work at EuroArt 2001. She has been invited to participate in this seasonal gallery by the BCN Art Directe. Traditionally, this art show is for painters and sculptors. However, this year they have invited some photographers. This should be an exciting trip and chances are better than average that some images of Spain will materialize on the site after her return! As far as we know, Rebecca is the only American photographer at the show. We also got a killer booth location - right by the entrance and exit!
 

GRAND CANYON

We made it out alive! The Grand Canyon hike was an amazing experience and one we can't wait to repeat. The hikers in our group consisted of myself (Rebecca), Keith, and Keith's father. We are both very proud of Keith's dad and how well he did on the hike. I have to admit, I was a bit worried about him doing this hike (and I wasn't the only one!), but he did exceptionally well. I won't mention the snoring thing...... oops, I guess I just did! We hiked into the canyon on July 9th down the South Kaibab Trail to the Bright Angel Campground. We were amazed at the sights around us as well as the diversity of people hiking the same trails. We met a couple from Rotterdam, Netherlands; a couple from Germany and several from the US (including one woman who had never hiked or back-country camped in her life!). Our first day of hiking ended with a great dip in the Bright Angel creek next to our campsite and then a game of "Battleship" in the Phantom Ranch canteen. Not exactly complete "roughing it", but it was nice after the 6.9 mile 4,860 foot drop into the canyon. The second day was a shorter 4.7 mile hike up about 1,400 feet to the Indian Garden Campground. This is a highly populated and busy campground as well, but it was nice to have a picnic table to sit at. I know my legs were extremely sore from the hike down the day before. Keith wasn't nearly as sore as I was! We got some good rest and geared up for the 10.7 mile hike ahead of us the next day. I was able to shoot 1 image the second day as we were making out way up the trail after the resthouse near pipe creek. The terrain didn't really open up until the next day when we crossed the Tonto Plateau. We started the hike before first light (as I set up for a sunrise shot) so we could get some distance behind us before the heat of the day really kicked in. The 2 days before were great because we had a nice cloud cover (which doesn't do much photographically speaking, but helps to keep those July temps a bit more reasonable), but this day was not going to be as co-operative. When the sun came up, it started getting HOT. I was able to get some nice images that day, but the main focus was finding water and getting to the Monument Creek Campsite. We were lucky to find water at the Salt Creek which was more of a Salt Trickle - small puddles with pollywogs-a-plenty. We filtered our water and were on our way. We hiked with soaking wet shirts in order to stay cool, but that July sun in the canyon is brutal. The Tonto Plateau looks relatively flat from the rim, but looks can be deceiving! The hike was up and down all day and we were very glad to see the campsite at the end of the hike. The Monument Creek campsite is a lot more primative than our first two nights, but we are used to back country camping, so it was great. We all got a good night's sleep and started the next day with the shortest hike of the trip. 3.8 miles to the Hermit Creek campground. I was able to spend a lot of time waiting for the right light to hit the Hermit rapid and Keith's dad got a nice rest in the shade. When we arrived at the Hermit Creek Campground, we were rewarded with a great little waterfall that had a shallow pool directly below it. It was a nice place to cool off, clean up (remember, this is day 4 without a shower!) and rest up for the big hike up and out the next day. It was exceptionally hot that night (the mercury never dropped below 91 degrees, not exactly optimal sleeping weather), so none of us slept well. We were originally planning to start the hike out at 4:30 AM, but got an earlier start on the 7.7 mile 3,660 foot climb at 3:45 because we weren't sleeping anyway. I took a sunrise shot before we reached the "Cathedral Stairs" on the Hermit Creek Trail. It was slow going, but we got up the stairs without any problems. The middle section of the Hermit Creek Trail is more of a traverse, but it is a nice rest before reaching the "Golden Staircase" which is a brutally steep section of trail that lasts for about a mile and a half. Keith's dad took frequent rests, but I wasn't about to complain about that! The 20 pounds of camera equipment was starting to feel like a thousand. We finally rounded a corner and I saw a red pick-up truck. I have to say it was a sight for sore eyes. Our 5 day hike had come to an end and I was that much closer to taking a shower. The following day we drove along the east rim to see the canyon from the rim (Keith's dad had never seen Grand Canyon, so we decided to stop at the pull-offs to get another perspective). It is amazing the difference in perspective you get actually being in the canyon. It was also very exciting to see the trails we had hiked in the days before. There were no real thunderstorms that I was able to shoot (although we did hear a bit of thunder), but the images I returned with are satisfying to me. The best of the bunch were added (see above) so you can see some of the sites from the Grand Canyon back country. It is truly a site to behold.

PHOTO TIPS: FILTER USE
by Rebecca Bloom

So, by this time, you understand the various use of shutter speed, aperature, depth of field and which films to use. Now it is time to start getting creative! Filter use can be exciting when you are first getting into using different creative filters, but it can certainly be overdone. I hope to introduce you to certain filters that are an absolute must, and then some that are just plain fun to use. Filters are used on SLR's (single lens reflex), medium format and large format cameras. The only way to use a filter on a point-and-shoot camera is to hold the filter in front of the lens and the light sensor of the camera, which can become a gigantic hassle. If you are interested in using filters to enhance your images, consider taking the leap away from the point and shoot cameras.

Since filters generally work by manipulating the amount of light that hits your film, there are exposure compensations that need to take place. If you are using a SLR with auto-exposure, your camera will be seeing the light the way the film will and you won't have to worry about the compensation. If you are using a fully manual 35mm, medium format or large format camera with a light meter, you will need to know what exposure compensation will be needed to get the proper exposure. The insert that comes with the filter you purchase will have the exposure compensation on the information sheet.

The most important filter in any photographer's bag is the polarizing filter. This filter can make or break a landscape image. It can help to bring the focus of the image to the correct location, or it can take the glare off of a body of water or glass to allow the viewer to see what is behind the surface. I am sure you have seen a color image with an extremely saturated blue sky. Have you ever wondered how the photographer has gotten the sky that color?  There is no magic involved, just a polarizing filter. A polarizer prevents stray light reflected off of particles in the air like smoke, water vapor and smog, from reaching the film, thereby increasing the skyís color saturation, often with very dramatic results. And it does this without darkening other parts of the image. The polarizing filter works the best at angles of approximately 35 to 120 degrees offset from the sun. If the sun is directly behind you, the filter does not give the dramatic results you might see otherwise. The polarizer also removes glare from the surface of ponds and windows to allow you to see what is under the surface, such as rocks in a pond, or the contents of a store window. The polarizing filter is used in both color and black and white photography.

Black and white photography has more need for filtration due to the need to accurately portray a color scene in various shades of grey. When you look at a scene, you see the different shades of color, but the film only sees the intenstiy of the light hitting it. The film doesn't care that the red sweater looks different than the green one to you, it only cares how much light is hitting it. The use of colored filters in black and white photography allows the photographer to decide which areas are going to be highlighted and which will be muted. When a red filter is placed on a lens in shooting a color image, you will end up with an image that has a red cast over the entire scene. In black and white, however, the red filter allows more red light to strike the film thereby making the red objects appear lighter in tone, while absorbing the complimentary colors of the spectrum which will make the those colors appear darker in the image. The most dramatic use of color filtration in B&W photography is when shooting a scene with sky and clouds involved. Without a filter, the sky generally gets very washed out and there is minimal contrast with the clouds. When using yellow, orange or red filters, the sky darkens because the blue light is absorbed before reaching the film. The result is a dark sky with white clouds and a normal rendition of the other colors in the image. The color filters can also be used with great success in shooting flowers on B&W film.

Colored filters are not used a great deal in color photography, but filters that change the overall hue of an image are sometimes used to create a mood. Probably the most often used in this category is a warming filter. This filter simulates very early morning or late afternoon light, giving the image a more amber hue. The best light for shooting landscape photography is early morning or late afternoon, but sometimes the situation just does not allow for that timing. In these situations a warming filter can make the best of a not-so-optimal situation. The next filter is one that I first started using when I was shooting foliage and it is known as an enhancing filter. These filters can offer very dramatic results on red tones, while only changing other colors minimally. The enhancing filter has the most dramatic effect on scarlet (bright red, tending toward orange) and crimson (deep purplish-red) colors which occur often in the northeast foliage. The enhancing filter can also have a dramatic effect on sunset images as well as when shooting red rock images (such as in Sedona, or in the Grand Canyon).

Filters used in both B&W and color images include the polarizing, UV, and neutral density. No matter what the photography salesman tells you, the UV filter (also known as the "haze" filter) really has a minimal effect on your images. Really the only significant function of a UV filter is to protect the glass of your lens (it is certainly better to break a $12 dollar filter than the glass on your $400 lens!). THe UV filter does absorb excessive blue and is most effective when used on overcast days or in bright shade. We have already discussed the use of the polarizing filter, which leaves the neutral density filter. This filter was discussed in the "Photo Tips" on shutter speed. The neutral density filter reduces the amount of light hitting the film equally for all colors of light. The result is a decrease in the amount of light with no color shift. Neutral density filters are used when you want to slow down a shutter speed, or there is generally too much light for the film and lighting situation you find yourself in. There are also filters known at split neutral density which start out with neutral density at the top of the filter and gradually decrease in density to clear at the bottom of the filter. These filters are used when you are shooting an image with a very dark foreground and a bright background, such as a sunset where the light has already faded off the foreground. The same is available in split warming filters to create a warmer tone in the sky without changing the hue of the entire image.

Special effects filters can add emphasis on a particular subject you want to draw the eye to as well as adding points of interest that aren't there in the first place. A very commonly used filter is the star filter which takes the brightest areas of your image and creates a 4, 6, or 8 point star (depending on the filter) at that spot. The star filters are used a lot by photographers shooting a car to get the star on the edge of a chrome bumper or off the aluminum wheels. This filter can be fun to play with and add just a bit more to the everyday snapshots. Another creative filter is the spot filter which is a piece of glass with a hole in the middle. The effect of this filter is to have the main subject in very sharp focus, while throwing everything else out of focus. This draws the eye to the main subject and keeps distracting elements away. Some filters will place things like a rainbow in the image while others soften the image to make portraits more pleasing. Close-up filters magnify the image you are shooting to make it closer to a macro lens. This allows for very tight close-ups of flowers and other images you may want with a lot of smaller detail (although, if you are seriously considering macro photography, I would consider getting a lens made specifically for macro photography simply because you will end up with significantly sharper images). I, personally, don't use a lot of the creative filters, simply because I am more of a purist (if it isn't there by nature, I don't want it in my image), but they can be fun to use and add to the pictures you take for fun.

As for which brand of filter to use, this is a truly personal decision. There are two basic types of filter systems. The first are the filters that screw directly onto the front of your lens. These filters are very convenient and work well overall. The disadvantage of these filters is they are a bit of a hassle to put on if you are in a hurry, and if you are using more than one filter on a wide angle lens, you can end up with vignetting which is a dark circle around the edge of the image where the filter actually got in the way of the light entering the lens. The other type of filter system is the Cokin filter system which has 1 ring to screw onto the lens and then a holder that attaches to the ring. The holder holds up to 4 filters and also rotates which allows a little more control when using split neutral density filters (say if your horizon is not flat, such as in a mountain scene, you can rotate the filter to align with the mountain). I use the Cokin system because of the ease of use and the control it gives me, but the screw on filters will give you the same general results.

Filters can add a lot to your images, but can also create a distraction if used too much. Play with different filters to decide which ones you like personally. It is fun to experiment, but you should always shoot 1 picture with the filter and 1 without to get an idea of the true effect. You may decide you like the image better without the filter (I have several images I wish I had taken without some of the creative effects I have tried. I suppose that is why I have stopped using creative filters). The only filters I currently carry in my bag are a polarizing filter, an enhancing filter, 3 different levels of neutral density, and split neutral density filters. On the rare occasion that I am shooting B&W, I will also carry my red, orange, yellow and green filters.

I hope this has been helpful for you hobbyists out there! We want to continually improve our tips so if you have a suggestion or request, please email us at tips@bloomphoto.com and we'll do our best to meet your needs! Happy shooting and keep it fun!
 

EBAY AUCTIONS

We offer selected images for auction on eBay.com starting at discounted bid prices. To see what we are currently offering in our auctions, click here. From time to time, we place other items we come across in our travels or items from our spring cleaning! So, all items may not be photographic images.
 

HOW TO ORDER

Bloom Photography takes orders in any of the following methods:

• Email order@bloomphoto.com with your print selection including print name, print size, framing option, payment method, and shipping address.
• Send the same information via US mail to:
Bloom Photography
PO Box 19527
Fountain Hills, AZ 85269
• Order online (coming soon!) at www.bloomphoto.com

PAYMENT METHODS

Credit Cards:
Bloom Photography is currently only able to take credit cards through paypal.com. If you wish to order by credit card and are not familiar with paypal's services, please email us at info@bloomphoto.com. Soon we will be taking online secured payments via credit card. We're working on the logistics now!

Personal Checks:
Payment can be mailed to Bloom Photography and must be cleared before the item is shipped.

Money Orders, Cashier Checks:
Payment can be mailed to Bloom Photography. Item is shipped upon receipt of payment as long as it is in stock. Otherwise it will be custom printed and shipped within 7-10 days.