When out in the field, the Le Plongeons practiced archeology by taking numerous photographs, sketching drawings and maps, making molds of bas-reliefs, and digging excavation tunnels to explore buildings. Their photography equipment consisted of two Scovill Manufacturing Company view cameras with an assortment of lenses. They took a variety of photographs, including 3D stereo images, which were developed in a darkroom set up on site. In addition to the detachment of soldiers, the Le Plongeons hired local Maya men to cut back the vegetation and clear growth from the site. The whole crew faced illness and hunger, heat, insects, and other dangerous wildlife.