Albertofrog
FollowI have increased the red and turned the spots yellow so not a true rendition of this attractive fungi.
I have increased the red and turned the spots yellow so not a true rendition of this attractive fungi.
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Contest Finalist in Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 2
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michaeltillman
November 01, 2015
Well, what do you know; a magic mushroom. Ops. I must be careful. The feel good police will be looking for you. This shot is really tight. Well done.
nandicmb
November 05, 2015
Congratulations on your Contest Finalist win in Image of the Month Photo Contest Vol. 2!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at a local country park which is renowned for its fly agaric. It is situated on a pit was closed many years ago. The ground has a hard crust and remains of coal dust under the surface. These delicate little mushrooms have to force their way through often come out with damage or covered in black specs. Brushing the black specs off can result in removing their spots. Luckily this one found a softer patch and coming through the moss removed all traces of coal.Time
I set out ealry in the morning on my hunt for the best specimen. By the time I found this one it was approaching 9am. I always take my dog with on my early walks. Spending hours stopping at every mushroom did not seem to excite him and he looked like he was getting bored by the time I came across this mushroom. Me, I was in my element.Lighting
It was a typical morning with a flat grey sky. There had been a low mist which started to lift by the time took my final shot.Equipment
I use a Sony A58. For this shot I used a 50mm lens. Having a cropped sensor makes a difference to the focal length which helps me to get images different images to those with full sensors. I do not have a tripod which gets low to the gropu d so this was taken with me flat on my stomach, camera hand held.Inspiration
I love walking through woods, especially in autunm when the fungi is at its best. I had set out to take an image of a fly agaric which would show off its beauty. I wanted most of the scene to be out of focus so the the eye could enjoy the beauty of this mushroom.Editing
Firstly I worked in camera raw completing basic edits with black's, whites shadows and highlights. As a child growing up in the city I didn't get to see these mushrooms so I always pictured them brought red with yellow spots so after my basic edit I wanted to play with the colours. Alwasy wanting to try new techniques I used LAB colour in Photoshop. Using three curve layers I changed the background to a different green, punched up the reds and turned the spots yellow.In my camera bag
My bag normally carries my trusty Sony A58. Three lenses of 18 - 55, a 50mm and 55 - 200. I also have a set of extension tubes, a few filters and a cable release. Naturally I always have a tripod too.Feedback
The first thing to do is research your subject. Find a place where they grow and the time of year they are at there best. Multiple visits are needed as they change constantly from day to day. Look for interesting groups or a juvenile with just the right shape.