Cave Photography: Getting Great Pictures in Natures Darkroom
Source: www.goodearthgraphics.com
Topic: Photography Lighting
Sort Desciption: Photography in caves is thus unique in that ALL the lighting must be supplied by the photographer. While this increases the challenge, it also offers the photographer a blank palette on which he can ...
Content Inside:
Shooting decent photos in caves can be a daunting task even for a
professional photographer who is not used to working in that environment.
Caves are one of the few places to be found where darkness is total once
leaving the twilight of an opening to the surface. Photography in caves is
thus unique in that ALL the lighting must be supplied by the photographer.
While this increases the challenge, it also offers the photographer a blank
palette on which he can "paint" with light. It is remarkable how the same
scene in a cave can vary with small changes in the placement of the
flash(es) used to illuminate it.
In show caves like Black Chasm, there is continual lighting provided,
often in ways that look like they would lead to desirable photos. But to
use that light for illuminating your pictures, you would need a tripod to
produce a sufficiently sharp photo at the exposures required, usually over
a second. Most show caves wont allow tripods, however, as they would
slow up the group or produce a tripping hazard if set up on the trail.
Theres also a color balance problem when using show cave lighting,
although with digital cameras one can probably adjust the white balance
to match the cave lighting (incandescent, fluorescent, or LED).
Most of the time, therefore, if you want good pictures in show caves
or undeveloped caves, your must supply your own lighting.
Basic Principles of Cave Photography
Most modern cameras are equipped with some sort of built-in flash,
or at least a hotshoe or other means for connecting an external flash to
the camera. Many cameras offer both choices.
The fundamental key to good photography in caves is simple: move
the flash away from the camera. Cave photos shot with only a built-
in flash, or an external one connected directly to the camera, tend to
look somewhat flat and uninteresting, and often hazy. This is because
very few shadows are created, and shadows help give a sense of depth to
a ...
digital cave photography,
us cave lighting,
cave photography,
photography in caves