Brilio.net/en - There are parts beneath the surface of New Zealand that seem mythical and unbelievably real. Something very special dwells inside the darkness of those caves, making it as beautiful as the country’s surface.
New Zealand’s Waitomo territory is famous for it’s limestone caves, and the most magical insects in the world have captivated photographer Shaun Jeffers’ heart for turning those caves into an enchanting “starry” underworld.
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The magnificent insects are glow worms, a species that emit a phosphorescent glow that lights up the cave and creates a surreal environment. Jeffers has spent a whole exciting year photographing them, capturing their magic in the darkness.
“When the headlamps are out and all you can see are the glow worms, you can’t help but feel like you’ve stepped into James Cameron’s Avatar Pandora, it’s just unreal!” wrote Jeffers on Bored Panda.
Well, we can’t disagree. The photographs really did show how these glow worms (‘though the name sounds a little bit creepy) turned the cave into a starry night.
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“Photographing glow worms is very similar to shooting the night sky, however, the exposure time can be much longer. These images in the particular range between 30 seconds and 6 minutes exposures. To achieve the shots, it required me to submerge myself and my tripod in cold water for up to 6-8 hours a day – it was totally worth it!” Jeffers added.
Longing to see the amazing photos? Wait no more and check them out:
1. The cave is so enchanting, just like the homeland of the dark elves.
2. The water reflects the “stars” amazingly.
3. Caves aren’t always this beautiful.
4. It’s hard to believe that nasty insects (for some) can create such a wonderful sight.
5. It feels like you’ve stepped into James Cameron’s Avatar Pandora.
6. In fact, the glow worms are various groups of insect larvae and adult larviform females that glow through bioluminescence.
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