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Mushroom Photography Tips
As soon as autumn arrives, mushrooms begin to emerge from the ground all over. As a photographer, you want to capture every moment of their glowing beauty and uniqueness.
However, mushroom photography is both physically demanding and creatively taxing, presenting its own challenges.
For close-up mushroom photos, you must venture into their natural environments, which can be wet, cold, and even dirty.
Nevertheless, mushrooms have a stunningly beautiful appearance once you locate them and capture them with the appropriate lens and lighting.
What are some of the most effective strategies for mushroom photography? The tips provided below will be helpful.
1. Know When and Where to Search for the Mushrooms
When searching for mushrooms, timing is of the essence, so it is crucial to keep a check on the seasonal changes.
Certain times of year and locations are better suited for mushroom hunting than others. You will not have much success locating them during the warm summer or in arid areas, such as deserts.
Mushrooms thrive in conditions that are cool and wet. Therefore, you should begin your search during the wetter months and in locations such as dense forests.
Some places you should concentrate on include tree trunks, dead leaves, moist soil and tree bark.
2. Use the Right Camera Equipment
Certain mushrooms grow in raised places, but most sprout from the soil. Due to their size, you must shoot from the ground.
If you shoot from above, they look plain and average, but from below or at eye level, they look more prominent. You will need the right camera equipment to capture the best mushroom images.
What will you need?
The type of shot you create will depend on your lens. Because you want your subject to be near your camera, you will almost certainly need a macro lens for this style of photography.
When you set your camera to macro mode, it will ensure that just the subject that is in focus will be sharp. A shallow depth of field describes a picture with only a limited amount of focus.
Since the sharpest region of the image is the focus of the photo, viewers’ eyes are drawn to it immediately.
Using a tabletop tripod will allow you to position your camera so that it is at the same level as the subject of your photograph.
Use a reflector to capture some stray sunlight to help clarify segments of the mushroom that would otherwise be in shadow. This is especially important for the portion of the mushroom below the cap.
Carry a polarizing filter just in case the subject you photograph or the setting you are in is particularly reflective or wet.
If your subject is not moist enough, you may also want to have a small spray bottle on hand. Lightly spritzing the mushroom can help bring out its natural look.
3. Background
It is essential to be mindful of the area around your subjects. Even if the surroundings are drab and wet, the only thing your viewer will notice is the stunning images.
A good rule of thumb is to include some of your backgrounds but not so much that it obscures the mushroom. Fill the frame with fern leaves.
Alternatively, you can use the shadow of a mushroom cast on a leaf to achieve vibrant colors.
Having a background color that blends well with the overall concept is ideal. Make excellent use of the colorful leaves scattered around the ground.
To make the image look great, do not have any distracting elements. Eliminate twigs or grass blades surrounding your subjects because getting the camera to focus only on what you want becomes more effortless.
4. Lighting
Given that mushrooms thrive in dim environments, exposure to direct light is not typically an issue.
However, it is essential to note that a bright natural light will spoil your mushroom photographs because mushrooms are generally white and reflecting.
When photographing mushrooms, you do not have to restrict yourself to the “ideal moments” because most of your settings will naturally be in the shade.
However, you should be ready to block some of that direct light on rare occasions when it arises.
If you are taking pictures with a companion, have that person hold your reflector over the subject to diffuse some of the harsh light.
Final Thoughts
When you come across mushrooms while hiking, they do not make for easy photographic subjects. To succeed at mushroom photography, you must go out with that goal in mind.
As soon as you come upon a fungus that you think will make an interesting shot, you should immediately begin thinking about the most effective technique to capture it.
It is crucial to remember that you should never handle unknown mushroom strains because they may be highly poisonous or even deadly.
See Also
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