Cave photography and exploration at the Library

Spectacular photography, magnificent caves, stories of peril are all part of “Going Underground: Amazing Adventures with Cave Photographer Rick Hines,” presented at 7 p.m., October 28, at Newton Public Library, 720 North Oak.

Hines has been interested in photography ever since getting a Brownie camera for his birthday in the third grade. His interest in caving goes back almost as far, with a Boy Scout Explorer Post specialized in caving, and over 50 years of experience photographing caves.

Hines' cave photo techniques have changed over the years from time exposures, slide film, a tripod, and flash bulbs to digital and multiple electronic slave flashes for instant images and instant feedback. The typical cave environment is hard on equipment; 100 percent humidity, wet, and very muddy. The flash equipment is critical and he currently uses up to twelve flash units triggered by a super slave. He modifies the Flash and trigger by hard wiring them together to improve reliability.

Most of the time Hines spends underground is in Missouri and Arkansas; Carroll Cave in Missouri and Ennis Cave in Arkansas are two of his favorites. In 1998, he formed the Carroll Cave Conservancy to get access to Carroll Cave, drilling and blasting a shaft through 120 feet of limestone to reach the cave, which now has a surveyed length of about 20 miles.

At the meeting, in addition to slides for his talk, Hines will display some of his mounted cave photos, his cave photo gear, and cave books and magazines, one of which features Rick’s photo on the cover.