10 techniques recommended by professionals for those who want to take 'realistic mushroom photos'

There are many photographers who limit their subjects to one genre, such as those who shoot only landscapes, those who shoot only animals, and those who shoot only trains. Among them, mushrooms are one of the subjects that even beginners can easily find because they grow not only in mountains and forests but also in roadside trees and home gardens. Professional photographer Albert Dross, who has fallen in love with mushrooms, explains techniques for taking pictures of mushrooms.

10 Tips for Photographing Little Mushrooms in the Forest
https://petapixel.com/2020/10/13/10-tips-for-photographing-little-mushrooms-in-the-forest/

◆ 01: Search for 'lonely mushrooms'
There are various types of mushrooms, some of which grow in large numbers, and some of which grow only one or two in one place. When taking a picture of a mushroom, Mr. Dross seeks beauty and looks for 'a very small mushroom with only one growing'.

According to Mr. Dross, a small mushroom with only one growing as shown in the image below is easy to shoot with a beautiful composition with a dreamlike background.

◆ 02: Look out for low places
Most of the mushrooms, which are very small and grow only one, grow on the surface of fallen trees and on the ground. Therefore, it is often said that the camera is brought to a place very low compared to the height of human eyes.

◆ 03: Shoot from below
By bringing the camera low, you can shoot mushrooms from the side. If you bring the camera to a lower position, you can shoot as if you were looking up at the mushrooms. By doing this, you can shoot the folds inside the mushroom umbrella and convey the texture of the mushroom.

◆ 04: Take a picture by hand without using a tripod
Mr. Dross says that when he shoots mushrooms, he always shoots them by hand. Focusing is easy with a tripod, but it makes it difficult to change the angle and composition to match the look of the mushroom. In addition, it is difficult to use a tripod because the camera is often held at a very low position. In addition, since it is often dark in the forest, Mr. Dross seems to set the ISO sensitivity to about 400 to 500.

◆ 05: Use a macro lens
“Use a macro lens or a close-up ring when shooting mushrooms,” says Dross. Mr. Dross basically shoots with a macro lens with a focal length of 90 mm.

◆ 06: Fully open the aperture
To take fantastic pictures, Dross always advises to fully open the f / 2.8 macro lens. .. This will give you a very shallow depth of field and a strong blur.

◆ 07: Pay attention to the background of mushrooms
By fully opening the aperture of the lens and making the depth of field extremely shallow, the composition and background can change significantly with a slight movement of the camera.
'The background is more important than the subject of the photo,' said Dross. 'When shooting mushrooms, I think the background is the most important thing.'

◆ 08: Blur not only the background but also the foreground
By blurring not only the background of the mushroom but also the 'foreground' between the mushroom and the camera and incorporating it into the composition of the photo, Dross says that he can take a more fantastic photo that emphasizes the existence of the mushroom. In the photo below, the autumn leaves are placed in front of the lens to create an autumn atmosphere.

◆ 09: Use flip screen
If you hold the camera in a low position, it can be quite difficult to look through the viewfinder. If you have a vari-angle LCD screen, you can check the composition in live view on the LCD screen, but if not, you need to use an external LCD monitor or flip screen.

◆ 10: Prepare cushions and cushions
And since it is always necessary to crouch when shooting at a low position, it is said that the burden on the body is heavy anyway. Mr. Dross will bring cushions and seats so that he can sit in the woods.