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Underground Shenanigans
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:30 pm    Post subject: Underground Shenanigans Reply with quote
Took a wander underground yesterday, and had the Pentacon 30/3.5 with me, albeit with a .42 Wide Angle converter on the end of it. These are pictures of a Level in the mine recently uncovered by a falling water level, and a shot of the most "famous" feature of this mine, the Triple Ladders. 1 ladder shot is just plain level tweaks, a touch of sharpening, and border+watermark. The other is a Composite of Shots I took while the person was on the way up the Ladders. The state of my 400D was something to behold, but I had to clean the poor thing before I even though about taking a shot of the mud and dust coating it.

This picture would not have been possible without SCUBA gear a few months ago.


A nice set of Wagon wheels, still sitting on the Rails.


The "Triple Ladders"


A composite shot of the Journey up the Triple Ladders.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You did make them very well, I am imagine not so proper lights... looks it was an exciting trip.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow! I like this set. The shot of the wagon wheels is beautiful, it must have felt special to come across them. The illumination of the person holding a lamp towards the ladder mid way up looks good too. You could have a lot of fun playing with movement down there.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks Atilla!

The main light used was one I modified myself, from the Standard Oldham Miners lamp. It surprises people with it's output, although I am planning a new one that is 2-3x more powerful.

The movement aspect is something I have planned for another mine, and I think I can use it to illustrate the Scale of that mine, as it makes this one look very small indeed.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks like some reportage you see in the National Geographic! Smile


PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hey, look after my 1st DSLR will you! Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martinsmith99 wrote:
Hey, look after my 1st DSLR will you! Laughing


I did say it would get used in anger underground Laughing Twisted Evil

I couldn't leave it dirty long enough to take a picture. I have put a disposable Silicone "skin" over the shutter button though, which removes the biggest risk. I also have a canoeists "drybag" that it lives in, inside my rucksack. It's more likely to stop working after a drop or bang than mud or water ingress unless I manage to be really stupid.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting shots. You'd never get me climbing up and down those ladders! Looks terrifying!


PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Really impressive place. I think the third one is the best.


PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for the comments everyone!

Yebisu - Believe it or not, I am terrified of heights. Most people who explore mines Laugh at me, but they know that I'll get down somehow, even if I am a quivering wreck at the end of it. I am slowly learning to cope with them, but I'll never be comfortable around them. This is one of the Smaller mines, some of the larger ones would fit this place inside many times over.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very impressive, you get a real sense of the 'environment' from your pictures.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
NewStuff wrote:
I am terrified of heights. Most people who explore mines Laugh at me, but they know that I'll get down somehow, even if I am a quivering wreck at the end of it. I am slowly learning to cope with them, but I'll never be comfortable around them. This is one of the Smaller mines, some of the larger ones would fit this place inside many times over.


I am in awe of you doing that, NewStuff. I am just as terrified of going underground as you are of heights. Brilliant shots, well done. Smile


PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Cool stuff. I like your third picture.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks again for the comments. The lighting is usually the hardest part of shooting underground in a Mine. You have a huge area to cover, and if you move the Light source(s) too much, the shadows get soft. Flash is too harsh near you, and not bright enough to illuminate at a distance. I'm still trying to shoot something that will adequately convey the scale of these places. It's almost 100ft from me to the person in that picture.

I'll also gladly offer to take anyone down a nice easy walk-in mine should any of You ever make it to North Wales.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
NewStuff wrote:
Thanks again for the comments. The lighting is usually the hardest part of shooting underground in a Mine. You have a huge area to cover, and if you move the Light source(s) too much, the shadows get soft. Flash is too harsh near you, and not bright enough to illuminate at a distance. I'm still trying to shoot something that will adequately convey the scale of these places. It's almost 100ft from me to the person in that picture.

I'll also gladly offer to take anyone down a nice easy walk-in mine should any of You ever make it to North Wales.


Seems like it might be a good subject to try light painting, perhaps with a low powered broad beam?


PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
NewStuff wrote:
I'll also gladly offer to take anyone down a nice easy walk-in mine should any of You ever make it to North Wales.

Thanks for the offer but not for me. I'll take you rock climbing instead! Smile


PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
atomstitcher wrote:
Seems like it might be a good subject to try light painting, perhaps with a VERY HIGH powered broad beam?


There, fixed that for you. I was running 1,200 Lumens for those shots. Painting the surfaces to expose them properly, IE, a moving beam, has a habit of softening the shadows, so the best solution (Short of an armful of Metz 60's), is to have as many Lumens as possible.

peterqd wrote:
Thanks for the offer but not for me. I'll take you rock climbing instead! Smile


I'll have to decline your offer as well. Freeclimbing is what made me terrified of heights. I was fine until I got myself stuck (5 hours later, I could move enough to get down). I do abseil a local quarry if the weather is nice though. I also resemble a Jellyfish afterwards too.

Above all else (I don't think I *need* to say this, but I will anyway).

Do NOT try to enter a mine yourself, unless guided by an experienced person, and properly equipped. These places can be most dangerous, and will easily kill you. You likely won't realise you are standing on a 100+ year old rotting timber stage until you go plummeting through it, and the drops below are frequently many hundreds of feet, with deep water at the bottom.
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