Underworld

Over the years, I've been to New Mexico at least a dozen times. I've

often thought about stopping at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, but

always ended up passing it up in favor of more traditional desert

locales. Now I know that was a mistake. Carlsbad Caverns NP is

really something. It's like a page taken right out of a fantasy novel --

Tolkien would wet his pants if he saw the place!

For a photographer, the opportunites are many. The caves have a ton of

variety: some are quite large, with rooms easily a hundred yards wide,

while others are very small and intimate. And, the formations are even

more varied, ranging from huge stalactites to small pools of water to

deep chasms and everything in between.

Of course, all of that is great, but the most crucial thing in any cave

(especially one that is 750 feet below the surface) is obvious: the

LIGHT. And, for a photographer, that's the best part of it all. All

throughout the park the Park Service has done an excellent job of

installing beautiful colored ambient lighting which really adds to the

drama of the scene. They've installed the lights in such a way that you

rarely can see a light directly -- reflected light is all you get, which is

great for us photogs as it eliminates potential image-wrecking hot spots.

If this sounds like something you'd like to see, then you may want to do

it sooner than later. A ranger told me that within the next couple of

years, they're going to be replacing all the lights with a newer type that

makes it easier to see, but won't be as dramatic or colorful. Great for

everyone else, not so great for us photogs.

Oh, and it goes without saying that you MUST bring your tripod. If you

come early, there is almost no one there and you will have plenty of

room to place your tripod wherever you want.

Thanks for looking.

Quite nice, the ambient/colored light really does add to the picture. Great job :-)

Chris.