H2o Photography

Chris and Mike Shaw - Underwater

2008-11-15T13:11:00.016Z

This week Chris and Mike Shaw go underwater for the latest underwater portraits....

Thanks guys :-)

Just click on any image to see the bigger picture

Underwater Portraiture

2008-10-28T13:03:00.009Z

It was time to experiment with a new black background, and so here are some underwater portraits of Matthew Clarke.

You're a super cool underwater model Matt....

Click on any image to see the bigger picture

Underwater Portaiture

2008-10-28T12:39:00.014Z

Here are some underwater portraits of Dominic Colenso

Thanks Dominic :-)

Click on any image to see the bigger picture

2008-09-10T12:38:00.023+01:00

Now for something a bit different....

For the past few months I have been developing a series of underwater portraits

Click on any image to see the bigger picture

Caving in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD), South Wales

2008-05-28T10:56:00.005+01:00

Following three days of excellent caving in South Wales, here are photographs of caver Neil Montgomery in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, taken on the third day.

Click on any image to see the bigger picture

Taxi

2008-05-09T13:00:00.003+01:00

This rusty taxi has been underwater in a freshwater lake for the past five years. I photographed it recently while diving at Wraysbury dive center, near London. The visibility was quite good that day and as the sun came out, it reflected off the headlights giving the impression the head lights were switched on....

Click on any picture to see it larger

Cavers

2008-05-09T12:50:00.000+01:00

Caving can be a challenge, crawling through tight passages, climbing up walls of mud and traversing gaps in the rock. These images show cavers in OFD, Brecon, South Wales.

Click on any image to see a larger picture

Neil Montgomery clinging onto 'Poached Egg', so called because if you fall off - that's what you'll look like...

Nick Moulton negotiating 'the Cork Screw'

Andrew Hammond climbing up the 'The Cork Screw'

Freediving - static breath holding

2008-05-09T12:30:00.007+01:00

Ever tried holding your breath to see how long you can hold it for? The freedivers seen here are lying face down in Iron Monger Row swimming pool, London and are completely relaxed and calm, while another diver stands nearby watching over them. Breath holding is a competition sport, called 'static apnea', and these divers were breath holding for 2 - 4 minutes, the current record is over ten minutes.

Static apnea can also be used as preparation for freediving - the art of swimming underwater on a single breath.

Click on any image to see a larger picture....

Charlotte Griffiths, news and features editor of Digital SLR User magazine - goes caving.....

2008-03-27T18:45:00.014Z

It was in November last year that I emailed Charlotte Griffiths, news and features editor of Digital SLR User magazine, suggesting a feature about cave photography technique.

I was surprised by her reply – she wanted to come caving…..

”We have a feature in the magazine called 'Masterclass' where I go out with a professional photographer from different areas of photography and learn the tricks of the trade.”

So a few weeks later, following lots of organising and borrowing of kit for Charlotte, she arrived at Croydon Caving Club cottage, Ystradfellte, in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, South Wales, for her first caving experience.

She quickly snaffled the two pieces of toast I gave her, got kitted up and we headed over to Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD) Top entrance for the first of two days of caving.

See Charlotte's Masterclass article in the June ‘08 issue of Digital SLR User magazine, to see how she got on and what she learned about caving photography. But in the meantime, here are a few pictures of Charlotte's caving weekend….

Thanks to Chris Crowley, Neil Montgomery, Steve ‘President’ Murray and everyone else who helped with access, travel and caving kit.

Click on any image to see it larger

All images Copyright Annette Price

Cave formations

2008-01-14T15:38:00.001Z

Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD), South Wales, cave at Penwyllt, near Abercrave in South Wales.

These photographs were taken in 'OFD Top', the entrance being at the top of a hill.

Just click on any picture to see it larger.....

Please note these photographs are copyright Annette Price and cannot be used without permission.

This tiny formation is no lager than a small finger nail, look at the water drop and you can clearly see crystals just above it, from which the formation is formed.

These cave formations are called helictites, and are growing upwards. They are tiny, only a few millimeters long and no one seems to know how they are formed, although is is thought their growth is influenced by drafts flowing though the cave.

A helictite

Straw formations - for more information please see http://h2ophotography.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html

Tiny straw formations, the one on the right has a helictite beginning to grow on it.

A curtain formation about two feet long.

Stoney Cove, UK

2008-01-07T12:41:00.003Z

Stoney Cove is the National Diving Center in Leicestershire. It was originally a quarry, dug out over a hundred years ago, from which granite was removed and used to repair roads. The quarrying ceased in 1958 and spring water was allowed to flood the quarry workings. It quickly become popular with local divers and waterskiiers.

Just click on any picture to see it larger.....

Please note these photographs are copyright Annette Price and cannot be used without permission.

A series 3 Landrover lies at a depth of about 22 meters. The front windscreen frame was the foldable type but is now missing.

Series 3 Landrover

Series 3 Landrover

A Wessex helicopter also lies at a depth of about 22 meters.

Inside the Wessex helicopter

Inside the Wessex helicopter

Inside the Wessex helicopter

The Nautilus, a small, intact, 2 man submarine.

More caving in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD), South Wales

2007-12-13T18:05:00.001Z

OFD cave at Penwyllt, near Abercrave in South Wales.

These pictures were taken in the 'Escape Route' of OFD 1 which is the lowest of three entrances into the cave system, the entrance being at the base of a very steep hill.

Just click on any picture to see it larger.....

Please note these photographs are copyright Annette Price and cannot be used without permission.

The flat, wet floor seen here, is called 'flowstone'. It looks like a rough concrete floor, but is actually stone. It has been formed this way by sheets of water flowing down the rock walls and washing over the floor, smoothing the surface over thousands of years, washing particles over the rock 'sanding' it down and depositing minerals.

Annie Wakeham looking down through a hole in the cave chamber roof, which is also the floor of the passage above.

Caving in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD), South Wales

2007-11-06T09:54:00.004Z

OFD at Penwyllt, near Abercrave in South Wales, is one of the UK's major cave systems. It's name Ogof Ffynnon Ddu means 'Cave of the Black Spring’ and was first discovered in 1946.

Above is caver James Thorn in Selenite Way, OFD.

Cave formations are called speleothems although often known as 'pretties' by cavers. The creation, type and colouration of pretties depends upon the amount of surface water entering the cave, minerals dissolved in the water, the type of rocks in and around the cave and the cave environment such as air flow through the cave, humidity and temperature.

Just click on any picture to see it larger.....

Please note these photographs are copyright Annette Price and cannot be used without permission.

Below is a selection of cave pretties, mostly stalactites hanging down from the cave roof

The above stalactite is known as a 'straw' as it is the same width as a drinking straw and hollow. The water drop at the end of this straw, is about to fall having traveled through the straw rather than over it. Straws are formed from drops of water containing dissolved minerals; calcium carbonate and calcite dripping from the cave roof, leaving behind a minute deposit in the shape of a ring. Over time, more minerals are deposited on the ring and gradually a hollow tube forms hanging from the ceiling. Typically straw formation takes around a hundred and fifty years per inch. Straws are incredibly delicate and fragile, great care is needed while moving around the cave and photographing them to not touch or break them.

Here we see typical 'Cave Life' to be found in OFD cave. These cavers are from Croydon Caving Club, of which I am also a member. www.croydoncavingclub.org.uk

Sailing the English Channel

2007-09-05T08:42:00.001+01:00

A week aboard the Frigate of Cowes, a lovely 32ft sailing boat, which we sailed from Southampton across the English Channel to Cherbourg, Guernsey and the Channel Islands, back to the mainland and around the Isle of Weight.

This was my first sailing trip and was super cool ☺ special thanks to Adrian for organising it, Matt, Loz, Neil and Chris for fun, songs and teaching me a bit about sailing.

Just click on any picture to see it larger.....

Please note these photographs are copyright Annette Price and cannot be used without permission.

Sark, channel Islands

Lighthouse at mouth at St Peter Port Guernsey Harbor, Channel Islands

Cherbourg harbour

Cherbourg harbour

St Peter Port Guernsey Harbor, Channel Islands

Shepperton Weir 22nd July 2007

2007-07-25T08:07:00.000+01:00

Due to heavy rain around the country Shepperton Weir has all ten sluice gates open creating a wonderful 'hole' for kayak paddlers to play in.

Just click on any picture to see it larger.....

Please note these photographs are copyright Annette Price and cannot be used without permission.

Playboater - Pete Scutt

Playboater - Mike Scutt

Playboater - Pete Scutt

Mike Scutt gives an amazing performance at Shepperton, making his boat literally dance on the water. He was placed 1st at Hurley Weir's squirt boat championships in 2003.

A young paddler from Hackney Canoe club surfing at Shepperton Weir and looking very cool...

Pete Scutt is Mike Scutt's younger brother and is equally impressive....

Prints are available for the above images at http://www.photoboxgallery.com/annetteprice