Non-Spherical Panoramic Stitches

Dream Lake at Luray Caverns

Visit my profile on VAST Photos https://vastphotos.com/artist/tim-lo-monaco to find closeups of this image as well as the story behind it. If you are interested in purchasing a print or licensing this photo, please fill out the CONTACT / INQUIRIES tab on the top of the page. / At Luray Caverns, in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, USA. Dream Lake, also referred to as Mirror Lake, is the largest body of water in the caverns although its deepest point is no more than 20 inches. It makes for an incredible optical illusion as there is no wind to disturb the slow-moving water. The cave formations are made from mineral deposits such as calcite, a crystalline form of limestone estimated to be millions of years old.

One of the more well-known caverns in the United States, this system boasts enormous chambers with massive formations. While the stalactites and stalagmites are known by most people, some of the lesser known terms for the specific shapes found here are columns, curtains or drapery, flowstones, cave pearls, cave popcorn or coralloids, and straws, to name a few. The many different types of speleothems are found throughout the cave and give the feeling of being in another world entirely.

Like many images of mine this is a higher resolution version of a previous image I made during a day trip with my family over the summer in 2019. It proved to be a challenging scene to photograph. I was allowed two hours, a tight window when considering the need for multiple exposures to capture the dynamic range. That compounded with having to redo every exposure at multiple focal planes to later composite for focus-stacking quickly used up the allotted time. The heavy rains and warmer temperatures above ground made for a lot more drops from the stalactites so I had to be particular in my timing of the photos of the reflection itself.

I’ve always described my style of photography as one where I simply take photos of the things I find to be visually stimulating. My subjects vary widely as I find we are surrounded by so much beauty in our everyday lives; much of which is easily overlooked. Photos oftentimes fail to do justice to a grand scene such as this. The VAST method utilized here was my best attempt to share that feeling of awe I had and to bring the viewer with me to experience this fascinating world underground. [Crop of a 36 image panoramic stitch / 492 mp / 1:2 ratio / Shot with the Nikon D800 w/ Tamron SP AF90 mm / 2 blended exposures of .5 sec and 5 sec / 5 focal planes at f/14 / Really Right Stuff TVC-33 Tripod with BH-55 Ballhead / Nodal Ninja Ultimate M2 Pano Head]

ColorHigh ResolutionLakeLuray CavernsOptical IllusionReflecting PoolReflectionShenandoahTamron SP AF 90VirginiaWaterWide Anglebrowncavecavernlimestonemirrorpanoramic stitchspeleothemstalactitestalagmite

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