A great Lake Cave! Photo

Photographer’s Note

The cave of Diros comprises individual caves; Glyfada, Alepotrypa and Katafygi have their own particular value. Over two-million-year-old fossilized animals were discovered at the cave of Glyfada or Vlychada. It is a splendid lake cave, one of the most beautiful in the world. It was explored in 1949 by I.Petrochilos. It has a total area of over 33,400,000 m2. Corridors, 5 km in total length, have been ranged over. The cave of Glyfada is almost at sea level. The temperature varies from 16º C to 20º C.
The cave of Alepotrypa is located 200 m east of the cave of Vlychada. It was discovered in 1958 and was explored by the Petrochilos couple. They brought to light very important findings attesting that people lived in the cave 6,000 years ago! Most of these findings are exhibited at the Neolithic museum of Diros, at the entrance of the cave. The cave of Katafygi has corridors, 700 m in length, and a total area of 2,700 m2. The geologic formations of all three caves are ravishing.
The Neolithic museum of Diros is the only museum in Greece whose exhibits present such a detailed and vivid description of our ancestors’ lifestyle during the Paleolithic Age. The excavated objects of the cave of Diros show the rites and the everyday life of these people as well as their first artistic ventures. Tools made of stone or animals’ bones, pots, figurines and jewellery are exhibited at the museum whose showcases also display the skeleton of a young woman discovered in the cave.
For further information about the cave and museum of Diros and other caves of Mani region: www.mani.org.gr

Information obtained from agrotravel

This photo was taken just before the boatman said that shooting is prohibited!

A scanned image from negative film.

© 2008 - All rights reserved. The photos taken by photographer Athanasios Benisis are registered and copyrighted. Use in any form (web, paper publication, public exhibition, etc.) is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the photographer. To contact with photographer please use his intro page Hellas on TrekEarth.

tigra, azaf1, enderartur, AiresSantos, bakes888, meltemi, chrkont, jhm, dip, danos, axiotea, omixlistilimni, kpav, ls7902, labro33, Charo, Olympos, gracious, g_panakia, steliosk, sotirios, zmey has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

izmirli (3285) 2008-08-12 4:19

kalimera dear athanasios
magnificent picture and composition.excellent colours and reflections.well done.
best regards.
gürkan akçakır.

tigra (2968) 2008-08-12 21:53

Kalimera Athanasios
Caves are my passion! Thanks for this wonderful capture and information!
I'll add this place to my "to go" list.
Katia

azaf1 (15547) 2008-08-13 0:31

Kalimera Thansi
Exairetiko esoteriko apo ton Diro. Prepei na einai tromeri empeiria na vriskesai ekei
Na pernas kala
Argiris

enderartur (216) 2008-08-13 3:32

Hi Athanasios,

I like caving,especially if it is full of water like that.I can imagine that you captured it in a very difficuld conditions.Never mind it is still amazingly good with saturated colors and succes reflections.

Best regards,

Ender ARTUR

AiresSantos (42924) 2008-08-13 23:49

Hi Athanasios,
Fine composition with Lake Cave of Diros. Very good POV, beautiful colours and detatails
TFS and greetings
Aires

bostankorkulugu (33984) 2008-08-14 0:04

looks like a magical place indeed... a well rendered shot under difficult light conditions... a real good fob saki...

all the best...

korkut

phwall (5705) 2008-08-14 0:13

Hi Athanasios,
It is rare to see a shot of a cave here on TE.
This shot of yours is wonderful. The detail, the crystal clear water, and those marvelous shapes is just stunning.
Great shot.
Cheers
Peter

bakes888 (18353) 2008-08-15 2:50

Hi Athanasios. I can almost here the water dripping! Nice capture. Surreal colours and atmosphere. Good sharpness and composition thanks for sharing.
Have a good weekend, Paul.

meltemi (9746) 2008-08-16 1:49

Geia Sou Athanasios,
nice capture inside the caves, its never easy with the lights here but you have managed well here with the textures brought out nicely. Incredibly quality and colours for a scanning. Bravo.
All the best.
Stella

chrkont (3675) 2008-08-16 15:27

Γεια σου Αθανάσιε
Πολύ καλή ποιότητα για σκανάρισμα από φίλμ.
Σε ζηλεύω που μπόρεσες να βρεθείς εκεί και τα κατάφερες πολύ καλά με την βοήθεια του φλας. Εξαιρετική ευκρίνεια και χρώματα
Να 'σαι καλά
Χρήστος

jhm (83352) 2008-08-17 3:48

Hello Athanasios,

Very well image for a scanned picture, exactly a modern painting with the different reflection and colour in these cave.
Composition and presentation are very well.
very well done, TFS.

Have a nice sunday,
John.

John_F_Kennedy (31994) 2008-08-17 23:42

Wonderful image, beautiful light, wonderful reflections in the FG, incredible place. Well scanned.
Best wishes,
Achim

Sanderson-Brown (1697) 2008-08-19 1:18

Hi Athanasios,
a great cave indeed, would love to do a photo shoot down in one of these caves. would make an amazing setting with great light bounces. Well captured, and produced from film.
well done
tfs
regards
paul

dip (12850) 2008-08-19 1:19

Geia sou Athanasie,
poli omorfi i fotografia apo to perifimo spilaio tou Dirou,dustixos den exo kataferei mexri tora na to episkefto,
oraia xromata kai antanaklaseis,
Xairetismous,
Dimitris.

lousat (16116) 2008-08-19 8:49

Hi Athanasios,i know how isn't easy to take perfectly this kind of pics! Very excellent work,wonderfulls details and colors and great point of view,my best compliments,Luciano

toto (18767) 2008-08-20 7:06

Bonsoir,
belle photo de cette superbe grotte pise sous un bon POV qui nous montre bien avec cette bonne netteté les détails très intéressant.
Jolies couleurs et magnifique reflet dans cette eau noire.

Amitiés Thomas

danos (33300) 2008-08-20 8:32

Θανάση καλησπέρα,
πολλύ δύσκολη η λήψη σου σε αυτόν τον σκοτεινό χώρο και εν κινήσει.Η ποιότητα της φωτογραφίας αν και σκαναρισμένης είναι εξαιρετική.Μου αρέσουν οι αντανακλάσεις και γενικά το όλο περιβάλλον που ξαναθυμήθηκα μετά από 20 χρόνια που το επισκεύθηκα.

Καλό απόγευμα,Δάνος

axiotea (16293) 2008-08-21 8:26

Hello Athanasios
The scanned image came out quite well and you made a good use of the flash allowing to see the details of the cave. The reflections captured in the mirrorlike water is a nice detail too!
Cheers
Marilyn

albertz (2310) 2008-08-21 21:34

Your front lighting is good enough to accentuate the overall scene, i like the reflection and the glimpse of the rocks from below. Well done.

omixlistilimni (3287) 2008-08-22 0:13

Καλημέρα Θανάση

Πάρα πολύ καταγραφή από αυτό το τόσο όμορφο Σπήλαιο!!!!

Μαρίνα

hay_kes (28562) 2008-08-22 22:09

Kalimera Athanasios,
Very beautiful place vith great shot.Excellent colours, light and reflection.TFS.Regards,

hAyAti

kpav (5025) 2008-08-24 2:44

Γεια σου Θανάση, πολύ όμορφη λήψη από το συγκλονιστηκό αυτό μέρος, οι αντανακλάσεις στο νερό εξαιρετικές και οι σχηματισμοί της οροφής του σπηλαίου εντυπωσιακοί. Σε χαιρετώ,
Κώστας.

ls7902 (6382) 2008-08-25 6:11

Hello Athanasios,
Interesting details on the stalactite and stalagmites. Nice colors & reflections too. Must be exciting to be on a boat in a cave. Very good information to go with the photo. Regards. Latiff.

labro33 (2804) 2008-08-29 2:02

Γεια σου Αθανασιε,
Εκπληκτικα δυσκολη ληψη φιλε οσο και πανεμορφη.
Το φιλμ απεδωσε τελεια και μας ανεδειξε ενα πανεμορφο θεαμα.
Εξαιρετικο και το σημειωμα σου.
Σε χαιρετω,
Γιωργος

Charo (31811) 2008-09-01 10:57

Hello Athanasios,
Superb making this cave with some fantastic colors. Great reflexes and textures.
thank you for your comment on the flower that I, myself nor I refuse to a beautiful flower, in fact I have many photos of them.
Best regards to your wife and for you.
Charo

Olympos (855) 2008-09-02 0:13

Kalimera Athanasie,

Ejairetiki lipsi kai apodosi toy 8ematos. Epeidi gnwrizw to meros, jerw poso dyskoles "fwtografikes" syn8ikes antimetwpises!
Sygarhthria file

Michael

pboehringer (770) 2008-09-13 19:34

Athanasios,
great moment to take the shot before the prohibitions comes ... hehehe! Quite difficult conditions to take underground shots. I never got pleased with my results and giving the fact that this must be a scan I have to say that you did a fantastic work.
Peter

nasokoun (0) 2008-09-25 12:38

Θανάση γειά
ολοζώντανη λήψη σαν καρτποστάλ
χαιρετώ
Νασος

gracious (20017) 2008-09-26 1:52

Hello Athanasios,
Awesome and quality image of the limestone cave well captured with the best exposure and focus!
good use of flash to achieve the best sharpness, good colour and details in the shot
well done and take care
Tony

g_panakia (4004) 2008-10-07 6:22

καλησπέρα θανάση,
ωραίο καδράρισμα & χρώματα ζωντανά
οι λεπτομέρειες και η αντανάκλαση έχουν γράψει τέλεια!!!
rgds,
georgia

steliosk (4784) 2008-10-14 5:32

fwtografia paparazzi 8a elega, efoson kapoies fores apagoreuontai oi lhpseis kai to flash, (den exw katalabei giati, les kai 8a lywsoun oi petres)
Eksairetikh douleia, aristo kadro, ligo sklhros o fwtismos tou flash alla monodromos ka8ws to fws pou yparxei sto sphlaio einai ligosto.
Aristos file Athanasie,

Xairetw
Stelios

sotirios (1685) 2008-10-18 5:43

Σίγουρα θα υπήρχαν απώλειες κατά την μετατροπή του σε ψηφιακό αρχείο, ούτως η άλλως είναι μια δύσκολη φωτογραφία καθότι το φως στον εσωτερικό χώρο των σπηλαίων δεν είναι αρκετό. Η μοναδική μου ένσταση στη φωτογραφία (και ο λόγος που είπα τα προηγούμενα) είναι ο υπερφωτισμένος μπροστινός βράχος σε αντίθεση με το σκοτεινό σπήλαιο στο βάθος. Υπό τις σηνθήκες που τραβήχτηκε πάρα πολύ καλή.
Χαιρετώ...

Nelu_Goia (2742) 2008-10-30 18:49

Hello Athanasios,
I skipped this one because I don`t do cats.
This one is better than the one with the stone bridge in my opinion,despite the harsh lighting conditions.
I wonder yet about the foreground; would it be possible to have more details in that dark area?...I`m curious about how does the bottom of the cave looks like...Well,that`s probably too much to ask from a poor photo camera:)
I think this one worth a whole green smiley:)
Cheers:)
Nelu

zmey (7282) 2008-12-10 8:45

kalispera Athanasios
a mystical place not many of us have a chance to see, straight from the ancient legends...

thanks for sharing!
kristaps

alexisborel (751) 2008-12-24 5:57

Hi Athanasios
Thanks for the critic
A great challenge for a very low light scene, a 100 ASA film and water where you can't put the tripod.
So, no blur, excellent.
Have a good day

Alexis