Issue 298: Behind the cover

The Ogof Ffynnon Ddu Main Streamway is one of my favourite places for cave photography. The clean-washed black limestone with striking white calcite veins and prominent scallops provides endless opportunities for taking pictures and each trip is different, depending on the water levels and the company.

On this occasion a friend from California who had never been to OFD was visiting and was very keen to sample its magnificent streamway. This cave was therefore a natural choice, other than that the water levels were rather low. We headed for OFD 1 for a relative short trip, though we shot a lot of different images in about four hours underground. I’m always grateful when other cavers are happy to help me take photos, so thanks to everyone for a great day’s caving.

For those interested in the technical details, I normally use a Canon 5D Mark IV underground, but this was shot with a 5D Mark II and a 16-35mm lens at f8 and ISO 200. The flashes – two of them, a directional one in front and a more powerful flash with a wider angle as a backlight – were triggered by radio slaves.

Chris Howes