Glow worms

[AnonymousKiwi1]

Ok, fine people, please put on your thinking caps.

Has anyone had any experience photographing glow worms?
We're hoping to take the kids on a trip tomorrow to the nearest glow worm caves, about an hour from us.
I know a long exposure is going to be required, so my tripod is a must. But does anyone have any idea how long? It's years since I've been to the caves, I really can't remember how bright the little critters glow. Am I going to have a chance with the 30sec max I can get out of my camera? ( lacking a remote shutter release as I do.)

[BigFuzzy]

Does your camera not have a "bulb" setting which should allow shutter speeds as long as you need?

[AnonymousKiwi1]

I'm sure it does. But if I have to touch the camera to close the shutter, is that going to cause a shake and blur? Or maybe it won't matter in such low light?
I don't know. This is a new field for me.

[RichardTaylor]

Will the self timer work?

[Murtasma]

You're really just going to have to experiment. If you don't have a remote shutter I would use a timer but if your exposures are 30 seconds long pressing the shutter button won't contribute much shake in your image over the life time of the exposure.

[mshockley]

if you can set your camera to lock up the mirror and use the self timer you should be able to get it done without camera shake. Of course your going to have to play around with exposure time, but once you nail it down your final exposure won't involve you touching the shutter button at all. You'll have the mirror already locked open so that will not cause any vibration, you can set the timer to trip the shutter, and you will have the exposure time figured out by then so when the time is up the shutter will close. Done deal.

[AnonymousKiwi1]

Thanks for your replies, guys. It looks like a bit of experimentation is in order.
The morning has dawned blue-sky perfect, so we'll be off soon on our adventure.

[davenn]

Originally Posted by AnonymousKiwi1

Thanks for your replies, guys. It looks like a bit of experimentation is in order.
The morning has dawned blue-sky perfect, so we'll be off soon on our adventure.

Hi fellow Kiwi

I'm an expat now living in Oz. Wonder what part of the country you are from ?
DUH - just saw the Manawatu in your posting info haha --- still begs the question --- which caves ?

Dunedin is my home town area. I used to go to the glow worms on a couple of stream banks close to Dunedin.
Went to the Waitomo caves as a teenager on a family holiday. And to the Te Anau glow worm caves as well.

As far as camera shake goes ... a trick learnt many yrs ago doing astro photography...
hold one hand over the front of (but not touching) the lens.do your shutter press wait a coule of sec's for the camera shake to stop, remove your hand and do the exposure. At the end of the exposure, again place hand over the lens and then close shutter. Never-Ever will camera shake be a problem

Dave

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by AnonymousKiwi1

Thanks for your replies, guys. It looks like a bit of experimentation is in order.
The morning has dawned blue-sky perfect, so we'll be off soon on our adventure.

Waitin' to see how the Glow Worms turned out......

[AnonymousKiwi1]

Originally Posted by davenn

Hi fellow Kiwi

I'm an expat now living in Oz. Wonder what part of the country you are from ?
DUH - just saw the Manawatu in your posting info haha --- still begs the question --- which caves ?

Dunedin is my home town area. I used to go to the glow worms on a couple of stream banks close to Dunedin.
Went to the Waitomo caves as a teenager on a family holiday. And to the Te Anau glow worm caves as well.

As far as camera shake goes ... a trick learnt many yrs ago doing astro photography...
hold one hand over the front of (but not touching) the lens.do your shutter press wait a coule of sec's for the camera shake to stop, remove your hand and do the exposure. At the end of the exposure, again place hand over the lens and then close shutter. Never-Ever will camera shake be a problem

Dave

Hi Dave.

The caves are up the Pohangina Valley, past Apiti. I'm sure a person from Dunedin has never heard of them - very tiny. Not nearly as grand as Waitomo.

That is a very good trick - I will have to remember that one. Thanks!

Cheers, Lisa