This picture of Manuel Beers in the river passage of Rumbling Falls cave is an after thought. I had gone into Rumbling Falls with about a dozen people to make a picture of the famous Rumble Room. Close to 10 hours later we had the photo in the bag, but being something of a freak I'd hate to bring all those people all that way
Continue reading "After thought, the river passage of Rumbling Falls cave" »
Thanks to Robbie Shone for sending this photo of me along. I suspect that most other photographer are like me. I have few photographs of myself, and virtually none of me working. The reason is obvious, the photographer is always behind the camera. In the case of my cave work, photos are even rarer because almost everything underground must be lit and after making the real pictures, I don't really have the energy to set up an 'on assignment' picture.
Rob got this image by using the exposure from the picture I was shooting and a flash attached to his camera.
Ok this photo is a bit misleading. Yes the bat is dead, but it died thousands of years ago in Belize. It is sealed in rock deep inside Chiquibul cave.
But there is something killing bats in the US (here). White Nose Syndrome has killed close to 90% of the hibernating bats in the Northeast US and the disease is moving south. I am researching a story now and frankly I am scared.
Continue reading "White Nose Syndrome, what is killing the bats?" »
Some days I feel like this, like I am just barely keeping my head above water. Too much to do.
This is the long swim in Salt River cave. It is about 6 inches of airspace over many feet of water. You can't touch the bottom and as you swim the trick is not to make waves because they come up to the ceiling. So that is what I do these days when there is too much work. Just swim through it calmly and try not to make waves.
-Stephen Alvarez
OK, I have published this photo on picturestoryblog before. But it has been raining a lot in TN lately and it reminds me of shooting this picture as a sort of conciliation when we couldn't set up on the bottom of the cave and make the picture that I originally had in mind. As one photographer I know reminded us all on facebook lately when you have lemons make lemon-aid.
-Stephen Alvarez
above, Close to the Edge, Canada's second deepest cave
I'm not posting this to comment on the tragedy that happened in Utah last month (here). I have the deepest sympathy for John Jones, his friends, family and also the 50+ people how struggled to save his life.
The news does remind me of a point I need to make. I've spent a huge amount of my professional career making the underground world look enticing, but the flip side is that most caves are in reality cold, black dangerous places. It is easy to get hurt, get stuck, get lost.
So if you want to explore underground, please be safe. Go with a group that is experienced. If you don't know one, contact the NSS in Huntsville, Alabama. They can help you find people in your area who are happy to help you find the right way to enjoy the underground.
-Stephen Alvarez
CBS Sunday Morning interviewed me about this picture that I shot in Oman. It is part of segment they are doing on the new National Geographic Image Collection book (reviewed here).
One of the questions was how does it feel to be included in this book. Not sure how I answered, but the truth is its an honor to be in a book with my mentors and heros.
The piece airs this Sunday Nov. 29 at 9am eastern. Personally I'm going to tivo it 9 is a bit early for a Sunday.
-Stephen Alvarez
Here is a short video I put together for my upcoming Deep South talk at University of the South. I am going to show lots of beautiful photographs of caves in the Southeast, and I thought to be fair I should also show what my assistants and I go through to get the pictures. Sometimes video just gets the message across better.
The talk is free and open to the public October 1 at 7pm in Blackman Auditorium.
Feel free to share the video on Vimeo (here) or YouTube (here).
-Stephen Alvarez
ps the video is all shot on my Canon G10
