Let's start at the beginning, two years ago I was invited to join an unusual trip in a certain welsh mine with lots of zip wires and via ferrata type stuff.

"I'll have to go back with the camera and lots of flash guns" I thought after a really good trip.

Now we fast forward to early August 2016, and an email comes through, Are you up for Cwmorthin again? Bringing your Camera?

Excellent I thought.

Okay, so slightly slower fast forward to two weeks later and those 'Dudley Spies' must have hacked my email and up came some fabulous pictures of this place in my Flickr stream... Not for the first time have they visited a place I had planned to photograph between the 'Lets go' and 'Getting there' stage!

Never mind, I thought, It will push me to create something different.

Now medium fast forward to November and there were a jolly party of us heading up the hill, Bag packed full of lighting and spare batteries.
we quickly descended that incline without my knees buckling and at the first chamber with some winding tackle out came my gear.

1st problem, I did not have the tripod plate, I can shoot hand held so no problem! so I dish out the flash guns, set focus and press the shutter.....

No flash 

Plenty of tinkering ensued but this was not going to be my day, Flash system not working and no tripod for light painting.

It was not an entirely wasted weekend though as we did get some GoPro footage the second day and had two enjoyable trips, including a wrong turn leaving us neck deep in water and probably the first people in recent times to climb one of the inclines.

The following film is courtesy of Michelle, Enjoy.

Warning - Soundtrack may not be work safe

https://youtu.be/ScJK1tw-CAQ

Sorry Antwan! You'll  have to let me have an itinerary of your future projects so we don't clash! Lol.

A great playground for zip lines, exploring and photography. I look forward to seeing what you capture next time!



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Its okay, we have decided to encrypt all our communication now 

I'll have to join you on a trip one day so I can learn from some of the best.

One concept I have is taking a few hundred tea lights for the big staircase, but I think I might get bored before I lit them all

Don't worry Antwan, it's not just you the Dudley are stalking. Everywhere we go they turn up. We went to the pub for a quiet meal on Saturday night, and there they are... Went down GB yesterday for some peace and quiet.  But, coming out, there they are again, descended like photographing locusts all over the main passage...  It's happened numerous weekends this year, getting to the point where we need to talk to them about sharing transport. 

Long Drop said:

Don't worry Antwan, it's not just you the Dudley are stalking. Everywhere we go they turn up. We went to the pub for a quiet meal on Saturday night, and there they are... Went down GB yesterday for some peace and quiet.  But, coming out, there they are again, descended like photographing locusts all over the main passage...  It's happened numerous weekends this year, getting to the point where we need to talk to them about sharing transport. 

Click to expand...

Haha,

was good to see everyone. It was like the hub of the caving universe at the pub on Saturday.

Sorry if all the flash guns going off blinded anyone, but at least you all managed to get a tan whilst underground!

Anyway back to stalking everyones plans, will see you all real soon