Ogof Draenen Snowball trips 03/08/2022, 22/08/2022 and 15/10/2022
Unless otherwise stated, camera, setups, lighting, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin. Modelling and lighting at various points will be Micha Lutz, Georg Lutz, Steph Andrews, Pete Bolt, Pete Talling and Fleur Loveridge.
These were three trips along the route to Snowball, with the first being primarily for Micha and Georg's photography. My own pictures were therefore kept to a minimum.
Harvestman in Pitch Bypass, in the Entrance Series. This appears to be a Nelima gothica, probably male.
Modelling by Arfwisg
Sediment bank in Gilwern Passage. The layering appears to be periglacial rhythmites, laminates created by the difference between winter and summer melting of glaciers. Winter flow is lower, so the sediment is very fine, summer meltwater flow is much higher, so the sediment is coarser.
Calcite rafts at Giles' Shirt in Gilwern Passage.
Photographing proto-shark fossils in Raiders Passage.
Modelling by Georg and Micha, lighting by Tarquin, Georg and Micha
Unknown fossil bone in the ceiling of Raiders Passage. This is likely to be from a Ctenacanthus.
Northern Loop, a passage connecting Canyon and Megadrive North.
Modelling by Pete Bolt, lighting by Tarquin, Fleur and Pete Talling
Northern Loop.
Modelling by Pete Bolt, lighting by Tarquin and Pete Talling
Fossil Ctenacanthus dorsal spine at the base of the aven in Megadrive North.
Modelling by Tarquin's pointer, lighting by Tarquin and Fleur
Another probable Ctenacanthus dorsal spine at the base of the aven in Megadrive North.
Modelling by Tarquin's glove
Cracked mud in Siambre Ddu Passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Cracked mud in Siambre Ddu Passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Siambre Ddu Passage. At this point, the camera is next to a choke directly below Siambre Ddu, which is an underground shakehole that failed to reach the surface.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Megadrive, one of the most iconic passages in the cave, with its characteristic deep vadose notches creating a diamond shape.
Modelling by Micha and Georg, lighting by Tarquin, Micha and Georg
Crushed Ctenacanthus dorsal spine in the wall of Megadrive. A blood vessel hole is visible on the right side.
A second fossil, high in the ceiling of Megadrive. This is likely to also be a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, but is too far away to allow easy identification.
The impressive heights of Rift Chamber, the lower of the Fault Chambers, which generally gets ignored while walking through Fault Chamber. From the point of entry, the impressive height cannot be seen. The chamber is so tall that even a wide angle lens is not enough to see it all, and this picture is a panorama made from 6 photographs.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
The far more impressive view from the far side of the chamber, where a high platform allows the full grandure of the chamber to be seen. Without a doubt, this is my favourite picture from the set. Once again, this is a panorama stitched from 6 photographs, and even with 5 powerful lights, the heights of the chamber still disappear into the darkness.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Highly ornate rock in Rift Chamber.
Elliptic Passage, with its distinctive striped walls.
Modelling by Georg, lighting by Tarquin and Georg
The striped walls of Elliptic Passage.
Highly patterned walls in Midwinter Chambers, which are so bold that they appear like cave paintings.
Patterned walls.
Elaborate patterns.
Outlined by gypsum crystal growth. The gypsum seems to favour the orange stain, which is presumably an iron ore band.
A gypsum covered rift behind The Snowball. Progress through here is very difficult, as there is so much gypsum on the walls, and the passage is so narrow that contact with the walls is inevitable.
The only reason that the gypsum has survived here is that it is a very low traffic passage.
Gypsum snow on the floor of the passage.
Patterned rock in the ceiling.
Patterned rock.
Harvestman in Pitch Bypass, in the Entrance Series. This appears to be a Nelima gothica, probably male.
Modelling by Arfwisg
Sediment bank in Gilwern Passage. The layering appears to be periglacial rhythmites, laminates created by the difference between winter and summer melting of glaciers. Winter flow is lower, so the sediment is very fine, summer meltwater flow is much higher, so the sediment is coarser.
Calcite rafts at Giles' Shirt in Gilwern Passage.
Photographing proto-shark fossils in Raiders Passage.
Modelling by Georg and Micha, lighting by Tarquin, Georg and Micha
Unknown fossil bone in the ceiling of Raiders Passage. This is likely to be from a Ctenacanthus.
Northern Loop, a passage connecting Canyon and Megadrive North.
Modelling by Pete Bolt, lighting by Tarquin, Fleur and Pete Talling
Northern Loop.
Modelling by Pete Bolt, lighting by Tarquin and Pete Talling
Fossil Ctenacanthus dorsal spine at the base of the aven in Megadrive North.
Modelling by Tarquin's pointer, lighting by Tarquin and Fleur
Another probable Ctenacanthus dorsal spine at the base of the aven in Megadrive North.
Modelling by Tarquin's glove
Cracked mud in Siambre Ddu Passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Cracked mud in Siambre Ddu Passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Siambre Ddu Passage. At this point, the camera is next to a choke directly below Siambre Ddu, which is an underground shakehole that failed to reach the surface.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Megadrive, one of the most iconic passages in the cave, with its characteristic deep vadose notches creating a diamond shape.
Modelling by Micha and Georg, lighting by Tarquin, Micha and Georg
Crushed Ctenacanthus dorsal spine in the wall of Megadrive. A blood vessel hole is visible on the right side.
A second fossil, high in the ceiling of Megadrive. This is likely to also be a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, but is too far away to allow easy identification.
The impressive heights of Rift Chamber, the lower of the Fault Chambers, which generally gets ignored while walking through Fault Chamber. From the point of entry, the impressive height cannot be seen. The chamber is so tall that even a wide angle lens is not enough to see it all, and this picture is a panorama made from 6 photographs.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
The far more impressive view from the far side of the chamber, where a high platform allows the full grandure of the chamber to be seen. Without a doubt, this is my favourite picture from the set. Once again, this is a panorama stitched from 6 photographs, and even with 5 powerful lights, the heights of the chamber still disappear into the darkness.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Highly ornate rock in Rift Chamber.
Elliptic Passage, with its distinctive striped walls.
Modelling by Georg, lighting by Tarquin and Georg
The striped walls of Elliptic Passage.
Highly patterned walls in Midwinter Chambers, which are so bold that they appear like cave paintings.
Patterned walls.
Elaborate patterns.
Outlined by gypsum crystal growth. The gypsum seems to favour the orange stain, which is presumably an iron ore band.
A gypsum covered rift behind The Snowball. Progress through here is very difficult, as there is so much gypsum on the walls, and the passage is so narrow that contact with the walls is inevitable.
The only reason that the gypsum has survived here is that it is a very low traffic passage.
Gypsum snow on the floor of the passage.
Patterned rock in the ceiling.
Patterned rock.