So begins the season of confusion. Mushroom ID is such a PITA even with a specimen this seemingly distinctive. Four books and the internet and I still don’t know. It could be one of several different Boletes. That it’s fruiting on a tree is odd, but there it is.
Learned a lesson in the field today - bring the right cable! My LED panel was almost out of juice and I didn’t know. I was doing a 15-image focus bracketing session and the light died at #14. No problem, I have a battery pack I can use and charge from. Wait…why won’t it plug in? Oy vey. I brought a USB Micro cable when it takes USB C. Lesson learned. But at least I got this shot. The area surrounding the base of the stipe was quite dark and I don’t think this shot would work as well if you couldn’t see it well.
Specific Feedback Requested
Impressions, ideas and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Tripod with CPL + LED panel on GorillaPod just to the right and below.
13-image PMax output stack - +4 step, 0/+ method for focus bracketing.
Lr for basic exposure and white balance correction. Started with a Linear Profile. Crop, clarity & contrast and a touch of sharpening. Into Zerene - absolutely no retouching needed. A first. Photoshop to clean up some distracting elements. Lr for some color management (PMax tends to make colors grittier and less intense).
I love this Kris, using the LED panel adds a wonderful glow to the image. This glow elevates this image a few notches IMO. I also like the soft, gentle light it creates on the green moss, the colors are very rich and appealing. The processing is very well done, just the right level of contrast for me. Great work Kris.
That extra light from the LED panel adds a magical aura. I imagine a gaggle of fireflies having a party in the cap. Just beautiful.
My only suggestion, and it’s purely a graphic suggestion, would be to move the shroom lower and left. The moss is yummy and sort of points the body. But that’s strictly an individual preference.
I wish I had more room to give you, Paul, but this is the full edge-to-edge image. I suppose I could add canvas w/Content-aware Fill, but I like it fine. This year I’ve decided to try to up my mushroom game and added the LED panel. It means I have to be choosier and not shoot every mushroom I see (is there a 12-step program for this?). A scene has to be special in some way, not just cute little guys fruiting on the ground or something.
My inspiration came from some other photographers and from Guy Edwards’ mushroom photography. I don’t think I’ll come anywhere close to the images he produces, but after taking an online workshop with him during the lockdown last year, I added the light panel just to see what I could do with it.
Here it is taking the shot above…well not precisely, the LED panel was in the first position I tried, but I ended up with it just near the tripod leg in the lower part of the frame. Pardon my muddy boot.
I’ve used it a few times with other subjects, but this is my first time with fungi and I hope to do more. I use a couple of different rigs depending on where I want the light. Funnily enough, both things are made by Joby of Gorilla Pod fame. Getting arms to fit to the hot shoe was almost a lost cause and I was afraid I’d have to cobble something together as I’ve done in the past, but they work pretty well and are easy to pack.
Here is the panel mounted on the Joby arm connected to the hot shoe. The other bendy thing is something I made to hold small bits in front of the lens. Sometimes it holds a reflector.
