Travelling through the Guadalupe Mountain Range one has no idea of the wonder that lies beneath: over 100 limestone caves formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone.
Please click the images to view larger versions.
Carlsbad is the largest of the caves and you can visit without any fear of claustrophobia. It’s big room is 4,000 feet wide, 625 feet long, and 255 feet high and chock full of spectacular limestone formations. It is the third largest chamber in North America and the seventh largest in the world.
There is an elevator you can take down, but the better way is to walk down the long and steep natural entrance if your knees can take it. The path is 1 mile long and descends 750 feet on switchbacks. Along the way you can view the many stalactites and stalagmites before you get to the big room. After you finish your tour you can take the elevator back up to the top.
Here are a few of the more distinct formations:
Photographing in the cave is not an easy task. It is generally very dark which means you require a tripod. There are lights along the way and inside the caves which tend to cause hot spots. While photographing I tried to exclude any of these hotspots from the frame except in the case of the temple of the sun where there was a nice silhouette.
The exposures tend to be brighter than the cave actually was so in post processing I used Nik Color Efex Pro to emphasize the dark contrasts.
Awesome set of shots Anne! Temple of the Sun is definitely my personal favorite, love the silhouette – Nice job keep up the good work 🙂
Hi John, thank you! It really was an incredible place. I kept expecting some kind of hobbit or odd creature to run out at me 😉
These are great…really like the last pic…
Thanks Sid, that last one is my personal favourite too. I like how the lights behind made the drapery glow.
Great images Anne! I’ve always wanted to go there. It’s nice to hear that tripods are allowed, I could get completely lost in all those textures…
Hi Howard, yes, there is a paved path all the way through it and you are allowed to have your tripod on the path. There is also a railing so you cannot leave the path. It is nice that they set it up that way allowing people to really see everything without risk of damaging the cavern. Thanks for your comments.
That last image is wonderful. Orange icicles!
Hi Andy, Orange icicles, great name! Thanks for your comments, always appreciated.
You captured some wonderful images there Anne!
Thank you very much Russ, I appreciate your comments very much.
These are awesome shots Anne. Great detail and color. I am surprised you can bring a tripod down there.
Hi Len, thank you so much for your kind compliment! Yes, there is a paved trail all the way through the caves and you are allowed to have your tripod on the pavement.
Incredible place, and pretty tricky to photograph. Well done!
Hi Kris, thank you so much! It was a little tricky with the lighting situation down there but they really did a pretty good job of lighting the caverns without it looking too fake. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the first explorers going down there with lanterns.
Stunning set of images, Anne. Nicely done. 😉
Thank you very much Jimi!
Great images, especially given what I imagine to be dark conditions for photography!
Hi Reena, thank you so much! It was very dark in there, but I have always loved doing long exposures. Most of the exposures are 10-25 seconds.
These are awesome Anne. I love the last image.
Fantastic shots, Anne. Well done!!
Great shots Anne, I was there this past July, hope you get to photograph the Guadalupes.