American Caving Accidents published

[Bill Putnam]

The latest issue of ACA, including incident reports for 2002 and 2003, has been published and is being mailed to the membership this week. Members should receive their copies within the next week to 10 days. Non-members can purchase copies from the NSS Bookstore in October.

For more information, or to report an accident or safety incident, see the ACA web page at http://www.caves.org/pub/aca

Bill Putnam
Editor, American Caving Accidents

[Cheryl Jones]

YEA!!!!!

Many thanks Bill for all your work!

Cheryl

[caverdoc]

After my misadventures in Montana's Lost Creek Siphon in the year 2001 it will be educational to read about other cavers' accidents.
Kudos to Bill and his crew for another fine collection of reports.
Dr K

[Sharon Faulkner]

Whoo-hoo! Just received my new issue of the ACA in today's mail. Much appreciation goes out to Bill Putnam for his hard work.

[Dan Sullivan]

Whoo-hoo! Just received my new issue of the ACA in today's mail. Much appreciation goes out to Bill Putnam for his hard work.

I'd like to echo Sharons Whoo-hoo!!!!!!

Thank You Bill Putnam!!!

[Bill Putnam]

Thanks, Sharon and Dan. I appreciate your comments and support.

The mailing stage took a little longer than we expected, but I finally received my copy in the mail on Saturday.

I hope that by now all NSS members have received their copies of ACA and are enjoying the publication and learning a few things from the reports. The real credit belongs to the folks who share their experiences with us.

In preparing the reports, I always wind up with a few that are particularly memorable. In the last issue, the two "snowmobile driven into the pit" reports come to mind. In this issue, the Pozo de Gavilan "killer bee" attack was a real standout. What a horrible experience!

[NZcaver]

I don't mean to criticize the excellent work done by Bill and the others... but when I visited the NSS office during Convention, I was told that ACA had gone to press and was due out "any day now".

Three months later, and I'm still waiting with baited breath...

[Bill Putnam]

Yes, it was late getting out, and that was my fault. We'll do better with the next issue.

If it helps any, copies to overseas members were mailed via airmail on September 28. I do not know what the typical delivery time is for Huntsville to New Zealand.

Oops - I see you are currently in Oregon - I know they have arrived in AL, TN, GA, TX, and WV. Haven't heard from anyone on the West Coast yet, but they should be arriving there as well. Everything was mailed from Huntsville on 9/28.

Current status information is always available on the ACA page of the NSS web site at http://www.caves.org/pub/aca

Bill

[NZcaver]

Thanks for the update, Bill. Yep, I'm in Oregon - sorry for the confusion.

Are you still seeking rescue photos for future issues? I've taken a bunch of digital shots during various mock rescues, and I have some nice ones if you're interested.

[Bill Putnam]

Are you still seeking rescue photos for future issues? I've taken a bunch of digital shots during various mock rescues, and I have some nice ones if you're interested.

Absolutely. I'm also looking for photos to use on the ACA web page.

The cover photos of this issue and the previous two give a good indication of the kind of shots I like to use. The main elements I look for are (in order of importance):

1. Human subjects with recognizable faces: backs of heads do not make for an interesting photograph; people looking at one another suggests relationship, facial expressions often tell a story.

2. Setting - It must be obvious that the subjects are in a cave or in front of a cave entrance.

3. A sense of action: people doing something - not posing.

4. Color: primary colors look good; variety is also good; usually, the more colors, the better the picture.

5. Lighting: focused on the action; looks like they're in a cave - too much light makes the scene look unrealistic.

6. Resolution: digital images must be at least 3.2 megapixels in order to be used on the front cover (1600x2000 pixels at a minimum of 200 pixels per inch). Resolution of 5 megapixels or more would be better. Smaller pictures can sometimes be used on the back cover. Minimum resolution for use on the web page is 640x480. Of course, 35mm slides are always acceptable, as are film negatives.

7. Composition: portrait orientation preferred, especially for the front cover; needs some space where the title block can be placed without obscuring interesting elements of the picture; listed last, because cropping can often fix poor composition, as long as the resolution is high enough to allow enlargement after the crop.

You get the idea - think "sports photography."

Send me some 640x480 JPG samples if you like (150dpi resolution is good enough for viewing on the PC screen), and I'll take a look and we can talk about them. If we come up with some I can use, you can send the full version.

The address is aca@caves.org.

Bill

[NZcaver]

Bill,

Thanks for the guidelines. I will dig up some shots and email them to you soon...

[Cindy Heazlit]

Thanks for the update, Bill. Yep, I'm in Oregon - sorry for the confusion.

Are you still seeking rescue photos for future issues? I've taken a bunch of digital shots during various mock rescues, and I have some nice ones if you're interested.

Oh man, I just figured out who you are! Boy do I feel stupid.

Bill, I can verify that this man's work is great! He's got some great action shots.

[Bill Putnam]

I just realized that I failed to mention the most important element that I look for in selecting photos for ACA. It is so obvious to me that I didn't mention it, but I realize that it may not be obvious to all readers:

The photograph must be related in some way to the subject matter of ACA - caving accidents and safety incidents.

Photos from mock rescues and training exercises (in-cave or at-cave, not outdoors or in a gym) are welcome, as are photos from real accidents and rescues (as long as they are in good taste and do not constitute an invasion of privacy).

When you think about all the above criteria, it's easy to understand why we have a hard time getting quality photos for the covers.

All you folks going to NCRC seminars - take your cameras! You too could find fame and fortune (well, fame of sorts, if not fortune) on the cover of the ACA.

ACA
Wanna see my picture on the cover
ACA
Wanna buy five copies for my mother
ACA
Wanna see my photograph
on the cover of the ACA.

(With apologies to Dr. Hook.)

Bill

[Cheryl Jones]

on the cover of the ACA.

(With apologies to Mick Jagger & the guys)

You mean apologies to Dr Hook! (You're obvoiusly still unwinding and regrouping the brain cells after the TAG C-In! )

Cheryl

[Bill Putnam]

Of course - what was I thinking?
Here's one from Mick & Keith:

I can't get no
cover photos
I can't get no
cover photos
'Cause I try
and I try
and I try
and I try
I can't get no
cover photos