However, as yet, no one has volunteered to write an expo photography guide. So this (decades-old) document is just an outline +of (a) what has been done up to now and (b) what needs doing in the future +without much (c) how to do it.
+ +Many people take cameras to expedition, a few make it up to Top Camp, and +a very few get underground, where the equipment may or may not work, people +may or may not cooperate or get too cold and photographers may persist or +give up. Hence there are plenty of photos of Base Camp, festering, dead cars +etc., quite a lot of the walk in, Top Camp, the plateau, a fair number of +entrances, and a very few good underground shots.
+ +Getting a collection of photos together to make an "expedition slide set" +has taken years, and is still not really satisfactory. There must be some +more good pictures out there ? August 1996 saw the first 99 slides (they +missed one) put onto Photo-CD, and a start made in getting these onto the +website. This is proving quite hard work, because digitisation is not very +tolerant of poor exposure, especially different exposure across the photo. +Correcting this is pretty time-consuming, though it can reveal unexpected +detail that was never really visible in slide shows.
+ +Quite a bit of "notebook" photography has been done with a video camera +and digitiser card. This is a handy way of getting quick pictures of +entrances and approach routes (and much cheaper than Photo-CD, if you have the +equipment), but the quality leaves a certain amount to be desired (it would +be improved by a slightly less cheapo video digitiser). Some pictures are +also here courtesy of video of postcard-sized prints.
+ +For 1997, a 2700 dpi transparency scanner should ensure that your +photos will make it to the web site quickly, without having to wait +to make up a set of 100 for a Photo-CD :-) Experience has also shown that +the final results are somewhat better as we have more control at the +scanning stage. See the Lost World +virtual tour.
+ +Since the above paragraphs were written, there has been a vast increase in +the prevalence of digital cameras. Unfortunately as these are even more +expensive than their film counterparts people are exceedingly unwilling to take +them underground. Hence underground photography has been rather thin on the +ground of late; we desperately need more photos of the further reaches of +Steinbrückenhöhle, for example.
+ +A number of photographs specifically illustrating topics in the Expedition +Handbook would be useful. We would prefer that this involved a practice rescue +in Yorkshire rather than a real one in Austria. Likewise, a bit of photography +during a practice survey trip would be good. Another topic, on which we have +neither words nor pictures, would be expedition rigging.
+ +Almost every entrance needs documenting photographically, to make it +easier to find and identify. Some aerial photos would really help here. As a +temporary measure, there are various photos taken from the Bräuning +Wall. With a bit of surface-survey visualisation software, these may even +get a few entrances marked...
+ +The major need is for quality underground photographs. Of the couple of +score or so representing the 21.5km of Kaninchenhöhle, almost all had +to have quite a lot of hacking about to make them look acceptable on the +medium of the computer screen, though this has become rather easier now +we have access to a transparency scanner. In particular we are short of +pictures of the following:
+ +and we could do with rather more of
+ +Photos showing approach routes would be useful, as would photos taken +(and carefully documented) during surface surveys.
+ +Scenario: Photographer gathers together all the equipment needed for a trip. +Three photographers and several helpers have volunteered. Photographer comes +back late and knackered from one trip - postpones the photographic trip. +Weather is crap - no one goes up to Top Camp, another postponement. One of the +photographers has to go home - hands all gear to another. Expo dinner - no one +doing anything. Finally the trip is on. Photographer at Top Camp religiously +tests all the equipment - it works perfectly.
+ +Dodging showers, the team heads up to and into the cave. Through Triassic +Park and to the scene of the first photo. All flash equipment fails to go off. +Change connectors. Fails. Use slaves. Fails repeatedly until second +photographer fires an electronic flash at the roof to see how high it is - +slaves fire bulb flashes in dazzling coruscation of light - no cameras with +shutters open. Try again, bulbs fail to fire. After about an hour and a half, +everyone freezing and irate, give up and move to another site. Similar +performance, but with a stronger, colder draught. Cave now floods as +mega-thunderstorm occurs on surface. Party retreat along Triassic Park, +pausing for one or two more attempts. Exit, apparently after total failure.
+ +In fact, the second photographer, who hasn't had his gear out of its ammo +can since his previous expedition photographic trip three years earlier, does +turn out to have a few usable shots.
+ +This is probably how not to do it, though it does illustrate the +problems. Can anybody write something more positive?
+ +Just a few brief notes:
+ +Camera: preferably use a robust camera with minimal electronics +(the most sophisticated of metering is useless in the dark :-) For black and +white work, many prefer 2¼" square format (120) film, often using an +old folding camera. For colour, 35mm is almost universal. If you want an SLR, +the old Zenith ones can stand being dropped a considerable distance in an +ammo can. They also fulfil the final criterion on cost: don't take a camera +underground unless you can afford to write it off.
+ +Some cavers in recent years have had some success with pocket-size digital +cameras. These are much more delicate than a film camera, but vastly smaller +and lighter and easier to carry around. It seems unlikely that these will +supplant film cameras for 'artistic' photography with fifteen different +flashguns in enormous chambers, but they have the vast advantage of allowing +you to see on the spot if you've taken a completely blank exposure. They are +probably ideally suited to 'notebook' style photography, just photographing +anything you find without worrying overmuch about quality: any photos are +better than no photos.
+ +Flash: You can get more light from a bulb flash than electronic, +and they are less sensitive to damp, though still far from wholly reliable. +Bulbs cost a lot more per flash than an electronic gun, and are less reliable +as the master flash for setting off slave units. Some slave units also fail +to fire bulb flashes, or can even be damaged by them. And finally, it is +getting hard to obtain flashbulbs as they are widely regarded as obsolete.
+ +Film: If possible, use more light, rather than faster film. In big +passage or chambers, this may not be feasible. 400 ASA film is fine for +postcard sized prints, but dreadfully grainy for enlargements, for +projection, or to be scanned for the website. The best results for scanning +seem to come from 100 ASA negative film - go for amateur films, which have +more exposure latitude, cope with a greater contrast range in the subject, +and are invariably cheaper than professional emulsions. 64 or 100 ASA seems +to be about right for slides.
+ +Protection: the classic is the ex-military ammunition tin or +"ammo-can". There are two sizes useful for photography, 3½" and 6". +The latter are really heavy and clumsy to carry, whilst the former are a very +tight or impossible fit for most SLRs with the lens on (and carrying a +camera with the lens off is asking for shit inside). Whichever is used, +the inside should be padded with old karrimat or something similar. Don't +rely on the little metal handle - these have been known to pop their spot +welds - use some chunky nylon tape, especially in vertical cave.
+ +One alternative is the Peli or Otter polycarbonate case (the Peli ones are +famously guaranteed against all damage except shark attacks, bear attacks and +children under 5). These appear to be genuinely indestructible and much lighter +than ammo cans, but they are expensive. Sponsorship +from Peli in 2004 might bring a few more into circulation.
+ +Another option is the plastic "BDH" or "Daren" drum. These are lighter, have +less awkward corners to catch in crawls, but are more difficult to fit +rectangular objects into. They are also slightly more prone to fall over, and +the lids are more easily mislaid. "Rocket" tubes are similar.
+ +Seeing all these excellent (and otherwise) photos on the website may have inspired you to say "How can I take photos like that?" or maybe "What a load of crap, I bet I can do better than that". Either way, it is a sad fact that -CUCC's photography today is about as good as its surveying 10 years ago. -Writing "how to do it" guides and ranting at people seems to have caused a lot -of progress on the surveying front, so we clearly need such a guide for expo -photography.
+we don't have as many good photographs available to all as have been taken by individuals. -However, as yet, no one has volunteered to write one, probably because -no-one is really qualified to do so... So this document is just an outline -of (a) what has been done up to now and (b) what needs doing in the future -without much (c) how to do it.
- -Many people take cameras to expedition, a few make it up to Top Camp, and -a very few get underground, where the equipment may or may not work, people -may or may not cooperate or get too cold and photographers may persist or -give up. Hence there are plenty of photos of Base Camp, festering, dead cars -etc., quite a lot of the walk in, Top Camp, the plateau, a fair number of -entrances, and a very few good underground shots.
- -Getting a collection of photos together to make an "expedition slide set" -has taken years, and is still not really satisfactory. There must be some -more good pictures out there ? August 1996 saw the first 99 slides (they -missed one) put onto Photo-CD, and a start made in getting these onto the -website. This is proving quite hard work, because digitisation is not very -tolerant of poor exposure, especially different exposure across the photo. -Correcting this is pretty time-consuming, though it can reveal unexpected -detail that was never really visible in slide shows.
- -Quite a bit of "notebook" photography has been done with a video camera -and digitiser card. This is a handy way of getting quick pictures of -entrances and approach routes (and much cheaper than Photo-CD, if you have the -equipment), but the quality leaves a certain amount to be desired (it would -be improved by a slightly less cheapo video digitiser). Some pictures are -also here courtesy of video of postcard-sized prints.
- -For 1997, a 2700 dpi transparency scanner should ensure that your -photos will make it to the web site quickly, without having to wait -to make up a set of 100 for a Photo-CD :-) Experience has also shown that -the final results are somewhat better as we have more control at the -scanning stage. See the Lost World -virtual tour.
- -Since the above paragraphs were written, there has been a vast increase in -the prevalence of digital cameras. Unfortunately as these are even more -expensive than their film counterparts people are exceedingly unwilling to take -them underground. Hence underground photography has been rather thin on the -ground of late; we desperately need more photos of the further reaches of -Steinbrückenhöhle, for example.
- -A number of photographs specifically illustrating topics in the Expedition -Handbook would be useful. We would prefer that this involved a practice rescue -in Yorkshire rather than a real one in Austria. Likewise, a bit of photography -during a practice survey trip would be good. Another topic, on which we have -neither words nor pictures, would be expedition rigging.
- -Almost every entrance needs documenting photographically, to make it -easier to find and identify. Some aerial photos would really help here. As a -temporary measure, there are various photos taken from the Bräuning -Wall. With a bit of surface-survey visualisation software, these may even -get a few entrances marked...
- -The major need is for quality underground photographs. Of the couple of -score or so representing the 21.5km of Kaninchenhöhle, almost all had -to have quite a lot of hacking about to make them look acceptable on the -medium of the computer screen, though this has become rather easier now -we have access to a transparency scanner. In particular we are short of -pictures of the following:
- -and we could do with rather more of
- -Photos showing approach routes would be useful, as would photos taken -(and carefully documented) during surface surveys.
- -Scenario: Photographer gathers together all the equipment needed for a trip. -Three photographers and several helpers have volunteered. Photographer comes -back late and knackered from one trip - postpones the photographic trip. -Weather is crap - no one goes up to Top Camp, another postponement. One of the -photographers has to go home - hands all gear to another. Expo dinner - no one -doing anything. Finally the trip is on. Photographer at Top Camp religiously -tests all the equipment - it works perfectly.
- -Dodging showers, the team heads up to and into the cave. Through Triassic -Park and to the scene of the first photo. All flash equipment fails to go off. -Change connectors. Fails. Use slaves. Fails repeatedly until second -photographer fires an electronic flash at the roof to see how high it is - -slaves fire bulb flashes in dazzling coruscation of light - no cameras with -shutters open. Try again, bulbs fail to fire. After about an hour and a half, -everyone freezing and irate, give up and move to another site. Similar -performance, but with a stronger, colder draught. Cave now floods as -mega-thunderstorm occurs on surface. Party retreat along Triassic Park, -pausing for one or two more attempts. Exit, apparently after total failure.
- -In fact, the second photographer, who hasn't had his gear out of its ammo -can since his previous expedition photographic trip three years earlier, does -turn out to have a few usable shots.
- -This is probably how not to do it, though it does illustrate the -problems. Can anybody write something more positive?
+If you are looking for how to upload your holiday snaps and cave entrance photos, +then read these instructions.
+Previous attempts at producing a useful expo photography +guide have been overtaken by events.
Just a few brief notes:
- -Camera: preferably use a robust camera with minimal electronics -(the most sophisticated of metering is useless in the dark :-) For black and -white work, many prefer 2¼" square format (120) film, often using an -old folding camera. For colour, 35mm is almost universal. If you want an SLR, -the old Zenith ones can stand being dropped a considerable distance in an -ammo can. They also fulfil the final criterion on cost: don't take a camera -underground unless you can afford to write it off.
- -Some cavers in recent years have had some success with pocket-size digital -cameras. These are much more delicate than a film camera, but vastly smaller -and lighter and easier to carry around. It seems unlikely that these will -supplant film cameras for 'artistic' photography with fifteen different -flashguns in enormous chambers, but they have the vast advantage of allowing -you to see on the spot if you've taken a completely blank exposure. They are -probably ideally suited to 'notebook' style photography, just photographing -anything you find without worrying overmuch about quality: any photos are -better than no photos.
- -Flash: You can get more light from a bulb flash than electronic, -and they are less sensitive to damp, though still far from wholly reliable. -Bulbs cost a lot more per flash than an electronic gun, and are less reliable -as the master flash for setting off slave units. Some slave units also fail -to fire bulb flashes, or can even be damaged by them. And finally, it is -getting hard to obtain flashbulbs as they are widely regarded as obsolete.
- -Film: If possible, use more light, rather than faster film. In big -passage or chambers, this may not be feasible. 400 ASA film is fine for -postcard sized prints, but dreadfully grainy for enlargements, for -projection, or to be scanned for the website. The best results for scanning -seem to come from 100 ASA negative film - go for amateur films, which have -more exposure latitude, cope with a greater contrast range in the subject, -and are invariably cheaper than professional emulsions. 64 or 100 ASA seems -to be about right for slides.
- -Protection: the classic is the ex-military ammunition tin or -"ammo-can". There are two sizes useful for photography, 3½" and 6". -The latter are really heavy and clumsy to carry, whilst the former are a very -tight or impossible fit for most SLRs with the lens on (and carrying a -camera with the lens off is asking for shit inside). Whichever is used, -the inside should be padded with old karrimat or something similar. Don't -rely on the little metal handle - these have been known to pop their spot -welds - use some chunky nylon tape, especially in vertical cave.
- -One alternative is the Peli or Otter polycarbonate case (the Peli ones are -famously guaranteed against all damage except shark attacks, bear attacks and -children under 5). These appear to be genuinely indestructible and much lighter -than ammo cans, but they are expensive. Sponsorship -from Peli in 2004 might bring a few more into circulation.
- -Another option is the plastic "BDH" or "Daren" drum. These are lighter, have -less awkward corners to catch in crawls, but are more difficult to fit -rectangular objects into. They are also slightly more prone to fall over, and -the lids are more easily mislaid. "Rocket" tubes are similar.
- -