For over 40 Years I have had an original photograph that Ian Davidson (sadly long gone) gave me when I was a schoolboy in the early 1970's. Ian used to live close to me and worked for Rolls Royce, his 1970's exploits with Hasselblad camera's in MSG's Northern Dales caves and mines were legendary. Having had a trip down Juniper Gulf yesterday I tried using modern techniques to get some decent pictures of a very difficult to photograph cave. All this achieved was a realisation of just how talented Ian was (well over 40 years ago). I have not seen this picture for many years in the caving scene and although it was a popular poster a long time ago there may be a generation of cavers that have never seen this.
I'm posting a link here, but if one of the admins can upload the image it would be good.

Its a digital photo of an A4 original print from a large format camera which does not do any justice for the original - I have no idea if a negative survived from Ian's collection.





http://www.flickr.com/photos/74732072@N08/13032839525/#

That is a super photo!

Seconded. But so too is the second photo in your photostream (looking down the shaft). Is it also of Juniper Gulf?

In the 80's I was secretary of St Albans Caving Club (sadly now defunct with remaining members joining Keyhole Caving Club some 20 years or so ago) for a spell and Ian was connected with the club. There was a box of various documents and photos among the club's posessions and a print of that photo was also in the box. I believe the caver was Nigella Ballard (who didn't really like ladders!) but I could swear to that. Yes, and excellent photo.

What Grahams said: blinkin' marvellous. Made my afternoon!

Striking image. I think I have the poster in the attic.

Absolutely Fantastic photos Black Shiver

Thanks for including the picture of me. but the caption.... :spank:  cheeky person you are.... he he he

Richard

I had that picture on the wall at work years ago along with one of GG main chamber. Very inspirational.....if you like big  ladders! 

That photo was in Arthur Champion and Dave Judsons book. As a 14 year old who had just started caving in the early eighties I used to pore over that photo and show it all my school mates...I remember a few years later having done Juniper harking back to that photo.

Love the 'Miss Descent' photo in your photostream 

Thanks to Blackshiver for pointing this thread out to me 

It's a great shot 

Yes brilliant photo. The fact it's on a ladder rather than rope, and you can make out the individual rungs gradually fading into nothingness as you follow them up adds a great sense of scale. And you've got some sedimentary layers in the middle giving way to a thick fluted bed down the bottom, bringing a sense of resolution.

Beautiful photo.  I can just imagine the loneliness of ascending that ladder.

However..having never been a fan of ladders..that picture also conjures the emotion of "forrrrrrrrrrrget it" and "Thank god for SRT".

Seeing that photo makes me glad that I live in South Wales and all our caves are laid on their sides. 

Going up I'd be fine, setting off at the top though! might prove difficult.
ib

I hope he is going up..........the ladder seems to run out just below his feet!

"He" is a "She" and I seem to remember Clive (Weslake) told me he held the flashgun!

Yes, I believe the caver was Nigella Ballard - and she hated ladders! (See my previous post above).

I would like to put the record straight on this thread as I was a member of St Albans Caving club from 1972 until the mid- 1980s.  I was actually on the trip with Ian and other club members when this photograph was taken.  The other people I can remember who were also on this trip are:  Graham Mosley, Ray Bains, Clive Westlake, Malcolm Lloyd and Ian Davidson .
The caver on the ladder is not Nigella Ballard. I am still in contact with Neil and Nigella and they have confirmed that they were not club members at this time.
The trip took place in December 1972 when the club was staying at the Bolton Speleo Club Hut at Upper Winskill, just above Stainforth.  (Sadly this site no longer exists as it has become houses).  Early in the morning we had ladders set up in the barn just to get a bit more practice on ladder work before going into the cave later that morning.  There was some debate at the time the picture was published as to who was on the ladder, it came down to either Graham or Ray and the consensus of opinion was that it was Ray.
Paul is right about Clive firing a flash gun.  There were in fact five of us involved in taking the picture.  We were all operating flash guns for that one photo with 5 x PF5 flash bulbs going off at the same time.  Electronic flash guns were not powerful enough in those days. All lights were turned off and a shout of ?fire? came from Ian and we could see all the way up the shaft for a brief second. The climb down and up the ladder were very memorable, being such an impressive pitch, there wasn?t a feeling of loneliness at all. But I can say that I agree with mudman that caves I now visit in South Wales are ?laid on their side?, especially as cavers tend to slide down bits of string these days.
This was an outstanding trip and I have fond memories of caving with Ian on many occasions.

I like showing this picture to people when they say its too small for them, the figure being a woman was great.  Shame it isn't a female.