Tripods
Bring a tripod on your cave shoot. Even with the Sony Cybershot's image stabilization features to reduce camera shake, shooting in the low light of a commercial cave or the total darkness of a wild cave will require a tripod. Set the camera on the tripod, line up your shot and use the self timer to trip the shutter for maximum steadiness.
Night Settings
cave. grotto. sea running into a cave image by L. Shat from
Fotolia.com
Sony Cybershot cameras have various auto settings for night photography located in the "scene selection" settings. The night settings are very useful for cave photography. Newer models have a "handheld twilight" mode that auto-shoots and combines the information from six photos to create a single low-light shot. Older models should have a regular "twilight" mode--indicated by a crescent moon--that slows the shutter speed for a longer exposure and no flash. "Twilight portrait"--indicated by a moon and person--combines flash with a slow shutter speed. You may also want to experiment with the "candlelight" and "fireworks" modes.
Self-Guided Tours
If you have the option of taking a self-guided tour of a cave, do so. This will give you more time to set up your shots and experiment with your Sony Cybershot. You also won't have to worry about other people getting in the way of your photos. If you must take a guided tour, get in the back of the group and shoot as you leave each area.
Article Written By Denise Bertacchi
Denise Bertacchi is a freelance writer with a degree in journalism from Southeast Missouri State University. She is a St. Louis suburbanite who has written for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Boys' Life, Wisconsin Trails, and Missouri Life.
