JudithBloom Photography

09/07/2026

Reflections of Birmingham

There are photographs that seem to hold several chapters of a place in a single frame.

Along the canal near Selly Oak and the University of Birmingham, two narrowboats rest quietly at their moorings while, beyond the trees, a distinctive brick industrial chimney rises into view. Its tall silhouette is reflected in the still water below.

It was the layering of the scene that caught my eye—the boats, the canal, the trees, and that unmistakable chimney standing as a reminder of Birmingham’s industrial past.

These canals were once busy working waterways, carrying coal, raw materials and manufactured goods through a city transformed by industry. Today, the pace is very different. Narrowboats travel and moor along waterways that have become peaceful places to live, explore and simply slow down.

Traveling Birmingham’s canals by narrowboat gave me a perspective on the city I never would have experienced from a road or train. At canal speed, you notice the remnants of industry still woven into the landscape—and the quieter life that has grown around them.

In this moment, old industry, canal life and nature all seemed to meet in one reflection.

The past is still there. You just have to travel slowly enough to see it. ❤️

📍 Selly Oak, Birmingham, England 🇬🇧

09/03/2026

The Cedar Airmen

Among the sweeping lawns and magnificent old cedars of Highclere Castle, I came across a memorial that stopped me for a moment.

Known as the Cedar Airmen Memorial, it honors the airmen who lost their lives when their aircraft crashed here during World War II.

There is something especially moving about finding a memorial like this tucked quietly into such a beautiful landscape. The great cedars have stood here for generations, witnesses to a history that extends far beyond the familiar grandeur of Highclere—or its more famous role as Downton Abbey.

These three photographs aren’t about the castle itself, but about one of the quieter stories held within its grounds.

A reminder that sometimes the most meaningful things we discover while traveling aren’t the ones we came expecting to see.

They are the ones that make us stop, look a little closer, and remember. ❤️

📍 Highclere Castle, Hampshire, England 🇬🇧

09/01/2026

A piece of history and Harry Potter.

Dining with History

Walking into the Great Hall at Christ Church College, Oxford, feels a little like stepping into another world.

Long wooden tables stretch beneath portraits of scholars, royalty and notable figures, while the magnificent hammer-beam ceiling rises overhead. For centuries, students have gathered here to dine—and remarkably, it is still very much a working college dining hall today.

And yes… if it feels a little familiar, there’s a reason. ⚡️ The hall helped inspire the Great Hall of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films, although the actual movie scenes were filmed on a studio set.

But for me, the real magic wasn't the movie connection. It was standing in a room filled with centuries of tradition and imagining all the conversations, friendships, debates and ordinary meals that have taken place beneath those portraits.

Sometimes history isn't behind glass.

Sometimes, they're still setting the tables.

Christ Church, Oxford
Oxford, England 🇬🇧

09/01/2026

Dining with History

Walking into the Great Hall at Christ Church College, Oxford, feels a little like stepping into another world.

Long wooden tables stretch beneath portraits of scholars, royalty and notable figures, while the magnificent hammer-beam ceiling rises overhead. For centuries, students have gathered here to dine—and remarkably, it is still very much a working college dining hall today.

And yes… if it feels a little familiar, there’s a reason. ⚡️ The hall helped inspire the Great Hall of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films, although the actual movie scenes were filmed on a studio set.

But for me, the real magic wasn't the movie connection. It was standing in a room filled with centuries of tradition and imagining all the conversations, friendships, debates and ordinary meals that have taken place beneath those portraits.

Sometimes history isn't behind glass.

Sometimes, they're still setting the tables.

Christ Church, Oxford
Oxford, England 🇬🇧

08/30/2026

A Place of Quiet

Inside the ancient walls of the Tower of London, the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula feels almost removed from everything that surrounds it.

There is a stillness here—a sense of peace that seems especially poignant knowing the history held within these walls.

Beneath the chapel floor rest several of the Tower’s most famous figures, including Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey. Their stories were filled with power, intrigue and tragedy, yet today their resting place is one of remarkable calm.

Perhaps that is what stayed with me most—not the darkness of the history, but the quiet that remains.

A peaceful place within walls that have witnessed so much.

08/29/2026

Guardians of the Tower

A few of the faces—and feathers—that have watched over the Tower of London through tradition, ceremony and legend.

The Yeoman Warders, better known as Beefeaters, are far more than the colorful characters we associate with the Tower. They are military veterans who have served for at least 22 years before earning the privilege of becoming a Yeoman Warder.

Among them is perhaps the most unusual job at the Tower—the Ravenmaster, charged with caring for its famous resident ravens. According to legend, if the ravens ever leave the Tower, both the Tower and the kingdom will fall. Needless to say, they are very well looked after!

Then there are the unmistakable King’s Guards in their scarlet tunics and bearskin caps—serving British soldiers carrying on centuries of military tradition.

And, of course, I had to photograph a couple of the real stars themselves…the ravens.

Standing inside a fortress nearly 1,000 years old, surrounded by these uniforms, traditions and wonderful old legends, felt like photographing pieces of British history that are still very much alive.

Tower of London

08/28/2026

Interested in taking your photography to the next level?

The University of Washington Certificate in Photography is holding an upcoming Information Session on September 1 from 5–6 PM Pacific Time.

If you’ve been thinking about developing your photographic skills, strengthening your visual storytelling, or becoming more intentional about the work you create, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the program and ask questions.

One of the wonderful things about the program is that all classes are presented online, which means you don’t have to live in Seattle—or even in the United States—to participate. Students can join from anywhere in the world. 🌎📷

I’ve had the privilege of being part of this program as an Instructional Assistant, and it’s been wonderful watching students challenge themselves, develop their individual photographic voices, and create meaningful bodies of work.

📅 September 1, 2026
⏰ 5–6 PM Pacific Time
💻 Online | https://www.pce.uw.edu/events/09-01-2026-certificate-in-photography-info-meeting-online

If you’ve been curious about the UW Certificate in Photography, come learn what the program is all about. Maybe this is the beginning of your next photographic chapter. ❤️📷

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 5 – 6 p.m. (Pacific Time) Online Join us for an information session on our Certificate in Photography. Get details on the curriculum, format, time commitment and more. A program representative will be on hand to answer your questions. Disability Accommodations To reques....

08/23/2026

Into the light

Scott and Peter at the helm as we emerge from the Wast Hill Tunnel and back into daylight.

There’s something slightly surreal about traveling through a long, dark tunnel on a narrowboat—with nothing but the boat’s headlight, the sound of the engine echoing off the walls, and a whole lot of trust in the guys steering! 😂

Then, finally, that little opening of light ahead gets bigger and bigger until you’re back out on the canal.

Another memorable moment from our English narrowboat adventure. ❤️

📍 Wast Hill Tunnel, Worcestershire & Birmingham Canal

08/18/2026

The Royal Chapel at Versailles ✨

Of all the grandeur at the Palace of Versailles, the Royal Chapel stopped me in my tracks.

Completed in 1710 during the reign of Louis XIV, it was the last major building project of the Sun King’s long reign. This wasn’t simply a beautiful chapel—it was part of the daily rhythm and ceremony of royal life at Versailles. The king and his family attended Mass here, with the royal family viewing the service from the upper gallery while members of the court gathered below.

Standing there today, what struck me was the extraordinary sense of height and light. Your eyes are naturally drawn upward—from the marble columns and gilded details to the painted ceiling soaring overhead. Even in a palace designed to impress at every turn, the chapel feels different: grand, certainly, but also serene.

More than three centuries later, it is still doing exactly what its architects intended—making you look up. ParisTravel TravelPhotography ArchitecturePhotography JudithBloomPhotography

📍 Royal Chapel, Palace of Versailles
Versailles, France 🇫🇷

08/07/2026

Here is my latest Blog post….

Should We Train Our Eyes to See Like a Camera?

While listening to National Geographic photographer Michael Yamash*ta speak recently, one statement caught my attention:

“Train your eye to see as your camera does.”

It made me stop.

While I understand what he means, I found myself thinking the opposite.

Perhaps we should use our camera to see what our eyes—and our hearts—already see.

A camera doesn’t experience wonder. It doesn’t notice the scent of a rose, the hush of an early morning garden, or the memories stirred by an old family heirloom. It records light. Nothing more.

We do the seeing.

Our eyes are drawn to moments long before we ever lift the camera. We notice the lone flower blooming among hundreds. We pause at weathered hands holding something precious. We are moved by light filtering through ancient trees or by the quiet conversation between a farmer and his cow.

The camera has no idea why these moments matter.

We do.

Of course, there is great wisdom in Yamash*ta’s words. As photographers, we absolutely need to understand how our cameras interpret the world. We learn how different focal lengths change perspective, how aperture shapes depth, how shutter speed captures or softens motion, and how the sensor sees light differently than our eyes.

That technical knowledge is essential.

But I don’t believe it should come first.

I believe photography begins with seeing as a human being.

Only then do we ask, “How can I use my camera to communicate what I felt?”

To me, photography follows three simple steps:

See like a human.
Notice beauty. Notice emotion. Notice connection. Let curiosity guide you.

Think like a camera.
Choose the lens, the light, the aperture, the shutter speed, and the composition that best communicate your vision.

Create like an artist.
Craft an image that allows someone else to experience what first caught your attention.

The camera is not the storyteller.

It is the translator.

Our eyes gather moments. Our hearts give them meaning. Our cameras preserve them. And our photographs become our interpretation of what we experienced.

Perhaps that is the real art of photography—not teaching our eyes to think like a camera, but teaching our cameras to express what our eyes and hearts have already discovered.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Do you believe we should train our eyes to see like our cameras… or use our cameras to reveal what our eyes already see?