Kaleidoscope of Color
Nestled in the hills of Tennessee, are the most beautiful caverns. Deep into the rocks of the mountains are fresh water springs and trails. Tuckaleechee Caver...
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Nestled in the hills of Tennessee, are the most beautiful caverns. Deep into the rocks of the mountains are fresh water springs and trails. Tuckaleechee Caverns are estimated to be between twenty to thirty million years old. When you go all the way down to the bottom and follow the fresh water streams, there are waterfalls and stunning colors from the light bouncing off the minerals in the rocks.
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Feb, 2023Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the hills of Tennessee at Tuckaleechee Caverns. It's a family owned caverns that go deep into the Tennessee hills.Time
This image was one of many beautiful scenes taken this day. We climbed down about 200 feet, deep into the hills, surrounded by rocks and streams. It was shortly after Noon, the cavern was illuminated along the way. You could hear the water dripping down the stone and displaying beautiful colors from the minerals in the rocks. A cool breeze came through the tunnels giving a slight chill while I witnessed some of God's beautiful work. This photo was taken on Oct. 11, 2022 at 12:24 PM.Lighting
The caverns are lit in various areas to not only show the colors, but illuminate the trails you walk throughout the caverns. This area had some accent lights shining on it, however I took my flashlight (I always keep a flashlight in my photo vest) and added additional light to broken pebbles in the stream below.Equipment
Nikon z6 f/4, 1/20 sec, ISO-1600, handheld no flash.Inspiration
After climbing 200 feet down on ladder type stairs, I walked about a half of a mile on trails that took me deeper and deeper into the caverns. There were trails of water running down the rocks, in some areas there were waterfalls with pools of water. In this area, the colors were so amazing with the water running down the rocks and the light illuminating the colors of the minerals on the rocks. I knew I wanted to remember this moment for years to come.Editing
I was able to bring up all the colors by adjusting some of the lighting and the shadows using Lightroom Classic. I was able to use the denoise slider to remove some of the graininess caused by the darkness.In my camera bag
When I go out shooting I take a few things. I have flashlights, extra batteries, a bottle of water on the outside of the bag and lens cleaners and rags. I keep a rain cover for my camera in it and I have hand cleaner, as well as various lenses and filters. I also keep a small homemade first aid kit and a lighter cause you never know what you might need.Feedback
I have been spelunking several times in my early 20's. You need to know something about the caverns you are going into. Are there tourist trails or are you repelling down into the caverns? Always take a throw away poncho, some kind of rain gear for your camera, flashlights and something to drink. You may be wandering for awhile before you see the photo you want. Find a way to shine your light on the parts of the rocks that are so deep in the shadows. They are usually the ones that have the most beautiful colors. Don't be in a hurry, listen to the noises around you. This piece of water was around the backside of the trails that everyone was taking. I could hear the drips of the water and knew it was worth searching out. Most importantly, have fun and create memories.
