I originally wrote this last autumn (2012) but with the fungi season upon us and with new images and information added, I thought it was worth re-posting.
First of all, this is not a definitive How-To piece nor is it the ONLY way to photograph fungi. I decided to write this on the spur-of-the-moment given that many this weekend (and over the next couple of months) will be venturing out in the hope of getting some nice images of mushrooms. I simply hope that the following will assist you and that these images will go some way to inspiring you to get out and shoot these fantastic organisms.
One thing that cannot be stressed enough in order for you to get consistently sharp results is technique. I would argue that there is no other genre of photography that requires such accuracy in its composition and focussing than with close-up photography. There are no excuses when it comes to photographing fungi. They don't move and you, pretty much, have full control. More often than not, you can position yourself where you please, direct light into dark areas and experiment to your heart's content with different compositions. But don't let this lure you into a false sense of security. Use a tripod, fire the camera with a remote release and try fresh, new ways of shooting one of the most photographed subjects in autumn.
I have written this, roughly, step by step.
- Before you set your camera up, find the best specimen you can and one that has a reasonably uncluttered background. This will save you both time and hassle. It can be very frustrating to set your camera up, only to find half the cap has been eaten by a slug!
- For medium to large size fungi use your longest zoom (70-300 for example) as you will have greater control over the background. With my full-frame (FX) Nikon D600 I like to use either the 105 or 200mm Micro and, even, occasionally the 200-400. If your lens doesn't focus close enough, look at close-up filters (beware very cheap ones as they will render your images soft) or better still, extension tubes.
- Whenever possible, use a tripod or, for those extra low-angle shots, a beanbag. This will ensure sharp images time and again and enable you to use whatever aperture you wish. With the canopy, still, so dense, it’s inevitable that you will end up with a long shutter speed that may run into several seconds. But, with the camera firmly fixed to a tripod, who cares! To be extra confident of shake-free results, use a remote release in conjunction with mirror lock-up or, if you don't have either, use the self-timer. If you have one, use a right-angle viewfinder as this will make the whole operation that much more comfortable. And, if you don’t, you will want one soon after!
- To fill-in shaded areas such as underneath the mushroom’s cap and stem, use a reflector made from a piece of A4/A5 card covered in foil. Alternatively, a mirror, torch or flash can prove very useful.
- Where do I focus? For those with a slender stem and small cap where the stem occupies most of the frame, focus on the stem. Small stem, large cap – focus on the front of the cap. Try focusing at different points to see what suits and consider focus-stacking.
- With the camera set to manual focus, activate the camera’s Live View function, zoom in to the area that you want sharp, and focus.
- As well as reviewing the histogram, make sure the Highlight warning is also enabled as this can be very useful, indeed, to check that the pale parts of the mushroom don’t “blow out”.
Orange grisette- Shoot the same picture at different apertures – f4, f8 and f16 for example. Then, when you get home and view them on your computer, you can see which one you prefer most.
Turkey tail
Turkey tail- If you come across a nice clump of mushrooms and the background suits, consider using a wide-angle lens such as a 20mm or 24mm (or even wider) to show the fungi in context with it’s surroundings. Remember to get low and close so that the fungi dominates the frame otherwise you will, simply, end up with an image of woodland with some fungi somewhere in the shot!
Birch bolete
- Get in really close and pick out details such as the cap from above and it’s underside.
- Consider using flash and be bold! There are times when, if used sensitively, flash can add a little 'fill' to lift shadows and reveal detail on their undersides. Be careful, however, since if you're not careful your image will suffer from bright, specular highlights so consider diffusing the flash. Alternatively, by getting really low and looking up try balancing the flash with the ambient light as striking images can be had. Look at using the flash off-camera either remotely or by cable to produce a more directional light thereby revealing the mushroom's fine detail. I like to work with both the camera and flash on manual giving me ultimate control over how both are balanced. See those below where the top image was taken without flash and the one below it, with.
Slender parasol
Common puffball. Spore release.
- And finally – get creative! Get in close and shoot from above and below. Pick out details and experiment with differential focusing and wide apertures. No-one says every part of the mushroom has to be sharp. Photography’s an art form so express yourself and, whenever possible, slow down. Take your time and be selective. Surely, it's better to return home with one or two images that you are really proud of as opposed to a dozen that will sit idle on your hard drive.
