Does anyone else run into the same issue?  Namely that when you pull out a camera they all run away as fast as possible?  See piccie for illustration of the issue (squished to fit here).  How else will people build up cardio-vascular fitness unless it's by lugging extremely bulky stuff for hours on end? We're doing them a favour don't you know!

In my long cave photography experience this is sadly true. I have even had threats and its a good job my camera is small after being told where they wished to insert it. Try bribery. Say you might be working on a Descent cover shot. Carry a small tin of sweeties or other gifts. Always promise a full set of prints though in truth you will never send them. Dont ever say the images will be on line or here on the forum. They seem to balk at that. Some photo trips can be enjoyable though. I do remember taking Paul Deakin on a photo trip in Withyhill. I was gladly surprised when he wanted to do some nude shots of a nubile young lady at the Elephant's Trunk. Perhaps he saw some symbolism there. Anyway the sod never sent me the photos. Try taking a nubile young lady yourself for a couple of nude shots. They are unlikely to run away then.

It was all the sighs, tuts and hacked-off looks I couldn't be doing with in the end.

I have found getting old and venerable  : helps nowadays. A lot of younger cavers seem happy to pose for an old codger with a camera especially as I always sent them copies. Clive Westlake is good like that - giving people nice prints from his trips.  Like OR when I was younger cave photography was barely tolerated yet everybody wanted to see pics afterwards. I must say reliability of equipment helps as well and not lugging huge boxes and tripods underground. Radio slaves and compact but high quality digital has made that possible as well as lightweight waterproof polyprop cases.  I still get a kick out of taking pics underground even after half a century. Trouble is my older models looks rather jaded in the shots to the extent that my shorter mates (no name no pack drill) deserve my epithet of 'knackered gnome'.

So what you want is  nice shiny dynamic models and lots of adoring acolytes. Having had a few published or having won an award  helps as well I suspect.

Or get an Olympus Tough like OR and concentrate on candids rather than set up shots.

ZombieCake said:

Does anyone else run into the same issue?  Namely that when you pull out a camera they all run away as fast as possible?....

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Yup, you've got to be quick sometimes 

Mr O. Doc's sister here. A timid creature to be sure. Too quick for even me.

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Mr O. Doc's sister here.

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I've been told Mr. o'Doc has or has had a beard and is sort of retired.  Given the revelations from OR he has a sister, is ... he ... really ... Luke Skywalker?  :-\

Try taking a nubile young lady yourself for a couple of nude shots. They are unlikely to run away then.

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Sagely and welcome advice, I wonder if that nice lady with the pet dragons from the TV show is a caver?