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I wonder how they took the pictures. Was there enough light in the cave thru some holes in the ceiling? Did they install huge lamps or did they use a very long

by jcfrei 16y ago

I wonder how they took the pictures. Was there enough light in the cave thru some holes in the ceiling? Did they install huge lamps or did they use a very long exposure (seems unlikely by looking at the people). either way stunning and surreal photographs!

ramidarigaz 16y ago
I think a really bright flash is sufficient.
- pmjordan 16y ago
  Not for that sort of size. Light intensity drops at inverse square of distance, reflected light intensity falls off at up to 1/r^4. I suspect a combination of massive floodlights and long/multiple exposure.
  - wiredfool 16y ago
    Actually, they _are_ probably using multiple really freaking bright flashes, or rather flash bulbs. There are still some around that blow away anything else you can get down into a cave for a power/size ratio. Think streetlight sized bulbs filled with magnesium. There's probably some light painting going on as well with (bright) flashlights and long exposures. The 1/r^4 really only applies if the light is coming from the camera position, and is unfocused. If you're illuminating the subject from another location, the only worry you really have is the 1/r^2 from the source to the lit object.
xtacy 16y ago
For long exposures, depending on the exposure time, the people could just walk away to avoid excessive ghosts. In one of the pictures (7th pic), one could see a translucent backpack, which in fact suggests long exposure.
jonknee 16y ago
Different techniques depending on the photo, but for any of the shots with vegetation you know there is decent light at least some of the day.
misotakacs 16y ago
I watched a movie[1] about exploring some (huge!) caverns in Venezuela and IIRC they used many strategically positioned remotely controlled charges/flares. The guy was cavern-photographer and it seemed to be the standard way of doing it. [1] http://www.k2studio.sk/?cube=text&c=559&lg=en http://www.k2studio.sk/?cube=text&c=559&lg=en
jonhendry 16y ago
You can see hotspots by each person in some of the pictures, along with other hotspots to the sides. Likely each person had a remote-controlled slave flash, and they positioned other such units for fill. In particular, note the shot of the row of people under the low ceiling. Each person has a hotspot that illuminates the ceiling and silhouettes them; the person is in between the bulb and the camera. In other words, the lights are all oriented the same way, which suggests to me they were set for the shot, rather than being the chance arrangement of the cavers' utility lights at that moment. They might have used long exposures, but the people aren't blurred, so the exposures can't have been all that long. Then again, flash would probably be murder on the eyes for cavers, so maybe these were less-bright-than-flash lamps, with a slightly-long exposure.

by jcfrei 16y ago

ramidarigaz 16y ago

I think a really bright flash is sufficient.

pmjordan 16y ago
Not for that sort of size. Light intensity drops at inverse square of distance, reflected light intensity falls off at up to 1/r^4. I suspect a combination of massive floodlights and long/multiple exposure.
- wiredfool 16y ago
  Actually, they _are_ probably using multiple really freaking bright flashes, or rather flash bulbs. There are still some around that blow away anything else you can get down into a cave for a power/size ratio. Think streetlight sized bulbs filled with magnesium. There's probably some light painting going on as well with (bright) flashlights and long exposures. The 1/r^4 really only applies if the light is coming from the camera position, and is unfocused. If you're illuminating the subject from another location, the only worry you really have is the 1/r^2 from the source to the lit object.

xtacy 16y ago

For long exposures, depending on the exposure time, the people could just walk away to avoid excessive ghosts. In one of the pictures (7th pic), one could see a translucent backpack, which in fact suggests long exposure.

jonknee 16y ago

Different techniques depending on the photo, but for any of the shots with vegetation you know there is decent light at least some of the day.

misotakacs 16y ago

I watched a movie[1] about exploring some (huge!) caverns in Venezuela and IIRC they used many strategically positioned remotely controlled charges/flares. The guy was cavern-photographer and it seemed to be the standard way of doing it. [1] http://www.k2studio.sk/?cube=text&c=559&lg=en http://www.k2studio.sk/?cube=text&c=559&lg=en

jonhendry 16y ago

You can see hotspots by each person in some of the pictures, along with other hotspots to the sides. Likely each person had a remote-controlled slave flash, and they positioned other such units for fill. In particular, note the shot of the row of people under the low ceiling. Each person has a hotspot that illuminates the ceiling and silhouettes them; the person is in between the bulb and the camera. In other words, the lights are all oriented the same way, which suggests to me they were set for the shot, rather than being the chance arrangement of the cavers' utility lights at that moment. They might have used long exposures, but the people aren't blurred, so the exposures can't have been all that long. Then again, flash would probably be murder on the eyes for cavers, so maybe these were less-bright-than-flash lamps, with a slightly-long exposure.