Cave Light Painting

Writing in Light with Carbide Lamp
photo by R. Tim Smith and J. Gerencher

This time exposure was made on Plus-X film within Schofer Cave, Berks County, PA, which is near to Kutztown, PA.   Gerencher  used a carbide lamp to write the words,"The End," in the darkness of the cave while Smith opened the shutter of a stationary camera at the beginning of the exposure and closed it at the end, which was about a minute later.  The brightness of the image was controlled by pointing the carbide lamp toward the camera or away from it.  The blur behind the words is Gerencher's motion in making the letters in the air.  Features on the cave ceiling, however, don't move during the exposure and are clearly outlined by the light from the carbide lamp.  A bat is located on the cave ceiling above the "e" of the word "The."