Camera : OM Systems OM1
Lens 1 : Zuiko 60mm Macro f2.8
Lens 2 : Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 pro
Lighting : Neewer LED Macro Ring Light
Gorillapod
Linpix Photography Mat
It’s April 2024 as I’m writing this blog. Under normal circumstances, at this time of year, I would be out taking photographs that show the coming of spring. However I’m looking out of the window and once again it’s tipping down with rain. This has got to be one of the wettest springs that I can remember. In actual fact it puts in mind of Autumn 2023 and being out and about in local woodland trying to locate and photograph fungi.
I have to admit that I’m useless at identifying fungi but I do enjoy the art of photographing them. So on a damp day back in October 2023 I set out with my gear to visit some local woodlands. We have a few accessible woodlands local to us here in Derby and they’re well-known for having interesting fungi during the autumn months.
Photographing fungi can be quite a challenge. Firstly you have to find the fungi. Then you have to choose a suitable lens and composition and then you have to decide how to light it.
I usually work between a macro lens and a standard zoom. I like to use continuous light as I find it much easier to visualise the final image through the viewfinder or on the rear screen. I always use a tripod to support the camera as it gives me a much greater range of shooting options if I’m not relying on my ability to hold the camera still. It also frees up your hands for holding lights or holding annoying things out of the way.
As fungi is usually found either on the ground or close to the ground, quite often I find myself either kneeling or lying on the ground to get the shot. When this happens, one of the most useful, but underrated, pieces of equipment I have is the ground mat. Easy to carry and can be thrown down on the ground where necessary. My Linpix mat can be rolled up like a newspaper but it is fully waterproof and when laid out is big enough for me to lie full-length without getting wet. Being on the ground gives the photographer a different perspective when it comes to composition. When shooting fungi it’s often beneficial to get down low.
The use of focus stacking or focus shift shooting is invaluable when using a macro lens as the Depth of Field (how much is in focus) can be extremely small. This means that the amount of the subject that’s in focus is very small but the use of focus stacking can help to get more of the subject sharp.
A lot of modern cameras, when set-up correctly, will perform the Focus Stacking function for you; however stacking can also be performed manually if necessary.
Focus Shift Shooting or Focus Stacking is a method by which a photograph is taken then the focus of the lens is moved very slightly. Another photograph is then taken and the process repeated until the focus point has travelled from the front to the back of the subject. The images are then combined in suitable software to produce one image that is sharp from front to back . Some cameras will even perform the image combination in camera to produce the final image. Consult your camera instruction manual to check if it has stacking capability and if it does ,how to use it correctly.
The website below will help you understand Focus Stacking in greater detail.
With all of this in mind it’s time to go exploring. Once in the woodland I walk around the area looking for suitable subjects. As some of the woodlands are pretty big it’s easy to lose track of different subjects I’ve found so I use the What3words App to keep tabs on them.
On this particular morning I picked three woodlands to visit.
Morley Brickyards
Dumble Wood.
Hilton Nature Reserve.
Morley Brickyards
This particular woodland is maintained by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. It’s accessed via a small gate off Brick Kiln Lane near the village of Morley. It’s an interesting woodland reserve, it has a large lake with a path running almost all of the way around it. The trees make it quite dark even on bright days which is ideal for encouraging fungi to grow. There are areas either side of the path which are of interest to the fungi hunter but care must be taken as the areas can be extremely boggy and possibly dangerous. I found the fungi below by simply staying on the path and being observant.
Dumble Wood.
Dumble Woods is a large woodland owned by the Canal and River Trust. It can be found by walking along the canal towpath from Willington. The entrance to the wood is virtually opposite the canal entrance to Mercia Marina. It’s a woodland full of paths and is well worth exploring. During the Autumn and winter months it gets very damp and boggy so care should be taken whilst walking the paths. Once again damp and boggy is ideal for fungi so it was just a matter of spending some time hunting around, noting the different fungi and returning to them, to photograph them.
Hilton Nature Reserve
Owned and operated by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Hilton Nature Reserve or Hilton Gravel Pits as it’s known is a wonderful place for shooting fungi. A description of the reserve can be found elsewhere in this blog suffice to say the reserve consists of a large lake plus several other smaller ponds. As with other reserves it can be very damp in the autumn and winter months so is excellent for nurturing fungi of all shapes and sizes.
Conclusion
Photographing fungi can be an interesting and rewarding pastime. It gets you out of the house on dull and dismal days and gives you something to shoot in the latter half of the year when the weather isn’t suitable for landscape or bird photography. It gives you a reason to go exploring your local area to find good locations and find interesting subjects. Whilst specialist equipment can result in spectacular images it’s not strictly necessary. Nowadays the photographic capabilities in modern camera phones can create fabulous images. Although it’s all about finding and photographing the subject it’s also about getting out into the open air and enjoying yourself and having a little wellbeing. As I said earlier, I have no idea what any of the species are. I just enjoy finding them and taking photographs of them. Identifying fungi is a science in itself and many hours can be spent locking down a particular type.