Stop Taking Boring Photos : Enhancing Photography with Haze and Bloom Filters

10/28/2024 ISO 1200 Magazine 0 Comments

To move beyond flat, lifeless photos, adding atmosphere and a cinematic touch can elevate an image’s impact. In this video, Mango Street recommend two simple tools for creating rich, atmospheric photos: the haze machine and the bloom filter. Here’s how each tool contributes to crafting standout images and how you can incorporate them into your photography setup.

1. Using a Haze Machine to Add Depth and Atmosphere

A haze machine, commonly used in movies, introduces a fine mist into the air, giving light something to interact with, which creates a more layered, three-dimensional effect. This helps in:

Enhancing Light Beams: When light hits the haze, it diffuses through the mist, highlighting rays and adding visible light streaks.
Creating a Cinematic Effect: The soft, smoky atmosphere adds a mysterious, moody tone to the scene, transforming ordinary shots into dramatic ones.

2. Softening Digital Edges with a Bloom Filter

Digital photography often produces ultra-sharp images that lack the soft, nostalgic quality of film. A bloom filter, such as the Tiffen Black Pro Mist or Moment Cine Bloom, softens highlights and edges, bringing a gentle, dreamy feel to images. This is especially useful for portrait or fashion photography where the goal is to create an inviting, ethereal look.

3. Combining Haze and Bloom Filters for Cinematic Impact

Together, haze and bloom filters create a unique blend of depth and softness. This combination is particularly effective in settings with natural or artificial light streaming in from windows, doors, or specific light sources. By adding haze to enhance light rays and using a bloom filter to soften highlights, photographers can achieve:

Enhanced Atmosphere: Both tools emphasize light interaction and create a more immersive feel in the image.
Versatile Style: Whether aiming for a vintage look or a modern, dreamlike photo, combining these tools can create a wide array of effects.

Conclusion

Introducing haze machines and bloom filters into your photography kit allows you to experiment with cinematic techniques that draw viewers into the story behind the image. They’re simple yet powerful tools that add new dimensions to your photos, encouraging creative experimentation with light, shadow, and softness. Try adding haze for depth and bloom for a soft focus, and watch as your photos transform from ordinary to extraordinary.

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About Mango Street:

We are Daniel Inskeep and Rachel Gulotta. We're lifestyle + wedding photographers based in Los Angeles and Chicago. We’ve been working in social media management since 2012 and have found our niche as influencers through Instagram’s platform. Let's Get Connected: www.mangostreetlab.com | Get yourself some Mango Merch: bit.ly/mangomerch

Image and video via Mango Street