Stadsaal
A view from one of the many caverns that make up the Stadsaal Caves near Cederberg, South Africa.
A view from one of the many caverns that make up the Stadsaal Caves near Cederberg, South Africa.
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Jun, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Stadsaal Caves near Cederberg, South Africa. I was drawn to Stadsaal because it contains an excellent example of prehistoric rock art, but I ended up spending the entire day exploring a winding labyrinth of passages in a pristine wilderness.Time
I had to make a four hour drive from Cape Town to get to this location, and I arrived in the early afternoon. This left me with a few hours to photograph the area before nightfall when I would have to return to Cape Town. I would have loved to shoot during sunset, but Cederberg has a healthy leopard population, which I encountered evidence of while exploring the caves. I thought it best to retreat to my car rather than risk being caught in the wilderness with nocturnal predators.Lighting
I was faced with the problem of bright sunlight casting harsh shadows on the rocks. Midday sun is not my favorite shooting situation, so I made sure to look for angles that would minimize lens flare. I also tried to use the natural features of the caves to frame my photos and to activate the negative space that would have otherwise just been cloudless skies.Equipment
This was shot on a Canon T6S with a Sigma 17-50 mm f/2.8.Inspiration
I wanted to capture the unique landscape at Stadsaal by showcasing multiple caves in one shot. The cave system is extensive. You can walk for hours and still find new tunnels to explore, and it is very easy to get turned around. I had to climb up rock formations multiple times to regain my bearings throughout the day. I wanted to depict the feeling of standing in one cave and looking out of it just to see more caves stacked behind each other as far as the eye can see. This was a quality that kept me intrigued at every turn as I hiked and climbed through various passages and my goal was to take pictures that conveyed the curiosity that drew me to continue exploring.Editing
I did some post-processing in Adobe Lightroom. I am not typically a heavy editor and I always try to shoot as close to my final product as I possibly can. This means I usually just make slight adjustments to exposure and contrast, and sometimes white balance while I'm post-processing. On this image I darkened the highlights, lightened the shadows, and added contrast to simulate a subtle HDR look.In my camera bag
My kit includes a Canon T6I (the T6S I used for this shot was borrowed), a Sigma 17-50 mm f/2.8, and a Canon 75-300 mm f/4-5.6. These are the three standards I have with me at all times. I also usually carry a gopro Hero4 with a couple of different mounting options. I am a rock climber and I tend to shoot outdoors in places that I have to hike to get to, so I try to keep my equipment lightweight. I also try to be prepared for various weather scenarios so I can keep my equipment dry.Feedback
In a desert landscape like this, the weather will be predictably hot and sunny. If you are shooting during the brightest part of the day, try to be intentional with how you are using the sky in your images. If you aren't going for a big, empty, blue sky, get creative by using natural elements to activate the negative space and frame your shot. Just keep looking for interesting perspectives and unexpected angles, and be aware of the direction of the light to avoid any unwanted lens flare.
