A symbiosis that keeps mushrooming
Cortinarius magellanicus - Punta Arenas, Chile.
NOVEMBER PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
new feature of our monthly blog and newsletter.
Imagine you stumble across a stunning fungal specimen, like this Cortinarius magellanicus which we spotted in the Nothofagus forests of southern Chile. There is a dense canopy, it is dark, there is little light on the underside of the mushroom cap, and the only camera you have is the mobile phone in your pocket.
Your first attempt is a little bit out of focus and you can’t see any details in the gills.
To improve that result.
Add a folded 40cm square of aluminium foil to your photography kit. You can use this to reflect some light onto the mushroom, particularly the underside so the details under the cap are visible. This will help with identification.
If you are using a mobile phone, first clean the lens as if dirty, the image will look foggy and you will miss capturing the details.
Figure out how close you can get to the mushroom and still have the image in focus. Check by taking a photo and zooming in on your captured image. If the front edge is out of focus - move back a bit and take another shot.
For more advanced photography tips you can stream Stephen Axford’s
Masterclass in macro fungi photography
or watch this free video on YouTube about Focus stacking with the Sony α7R V.
Re-visit our 2016 Patagonian Fungi Safari on YouTube
FUNGI FOUNDATION AND PLANET FUNGI
Six years ago, long before the (beautiful) mass myco-awakening, Giuliana Furci from Fungi Foundation, Stephen Axford and Catherine Marciniak from Planet Fungi established a fruitful partnership, and today we want to celebrate this long-time collaboration.
We share a passion for protecting the Fungi Kin-dom, as well as educating about its existence and the multiple crucial roles it plays on our planet 🍄. This mission led us to explore the fungal diversity of the southern tip of Chile together in 2017 documented in the video Patagonia Fungi Safari.
Then Stephen shared his photographic knowledge with the Chilean mycological community 📸.
Over the years the stunning time-lapses and images from Planet Fungi have been protagonists in various important events organized by Fungi Foundation, such as the launch and tour of the Field Guide to Chilean Fungi Vol. II📚, and presentations by Giuliana Furci at the Congreso Futuro, the largest science outreach event in Latin America, and the Ladera Sur Festival in Chile.
And... (spoiler alert!) In a few months, several of these incredible images will become part of the first permanent fungi exhibition in Chile at Mim Museo, a project that is underway with the scientific collaboration of the Fungi Foundation🔎. Our shared goal is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn about fungi, whether through their schools, museums, workshops, talks, or educational events of all kinds.
We hope to continue showcasing the fascinating world of fungi together. A symbiosis that keeps mushrooming!
In the meantime we have put together a gallery of some of the fungi photographs Stephen took back in 2016 on the Patagonian foray.
MUSHMERCH
We have some Planet Fungi merchandise available in time for the festive season.
Planet Fungi calendars for 2024 are available now. We love sharing our fungi photographs with you in this way where every month there is a new fab image with some cool facts about the species.
"I was looking at mushroom calendars on Amazon and saw this one a couple of weeks ago. Definitely the best quality one available, by far!" - Alan Rockefeller
They are also an ethical calendar as many materials are recycled the wonderful Amber Lotus Publishing has to date planted over one million trees. In 2023 alone, they planted more than 20 times the number of trees that were used to create the products.
Your purchase as always will support Planet Fungi's advocacy work for the Kingdom of Fungi. You'll find them at Amazon and many local suppliers.
There are also T-shirts available on our website including Stephen’s popular Fungi Fetish line.
PLANET FUNGI TIMELAPSES ON THE BIG SCREEN
IMAX DOCUMENTARY - FUNGI: WEB OF LIFE is starting to screen around the world.
Over the past few years Planet Fungi has been collaborating on the Imax documentary - Fungi: Web of Life which is rolling out into IMAX cinemas across the world.
It is presented by Merlin Sheldrake the author of the bestseller "Entangled Life - how fungi make our worlds", and narrated by Björk, who speaks the story with inimitable magic and sensitivity.
The film is about the ways that fungi have shaped life on Earth, and how we might partner with them to adapt to the radical change of our times.
It features astonishing time-lapse photography from some of the best fungal photographers working today, Planet Fungi's Stephen Axford, Patrick Hickey and Wim van Egmond. Much of this footage depicts aspects of fungal life that have never been captured in such high resolution before.
The film is trickling into IMAX cinemas across the world over the latter part of 2023 and into 2024, and may already be playing at a theatre near you. Click here to find out where it is currently screening.
If you do not see a theater near you on the list, please check with your local science centre's IMAX®, Giant Screen, or fulldome theater about their latest exhibition plans for Fungi: Web of Life.
Narrated by Björk, presented by Merlin Sheldrake, distributor K2 Studios, produced by Stranger than Fiction Films and Definition Studios, directed by Gisela Kaufmann and Joseph Nizeti, written by Catherine Marciniak and Joseph Nizeti and cinematography by Cam Batten.
NEW ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF “ENTANGLED LIFE - HOW FUNGI MAKE OUR WORLDS”
The new illustrated edition is now available from wherever you buy books and features images by the best fungi photographers and illustrators in the world, including Planet Fungi’s own Stephen Axford. Play the video above for a little preview with Stephen.
This is what Merlin has to say about this new edition …
I've looked at these images again and again and they continue to surprise and amaze me. Some of them are the most remarkable images of fungi I have seen. All are the result of the vision and skill of a group of exceptional photographers and microscopists.”
For more information on where you can get a copy click here.
Merlin Sheldrake’s new illustrated version of “Entangled Life” features many photographs of fungi and lichen
by Stephen Axford
Update on our new documentary - FOLLOW THE RAIN
The documentary is completed and Catherine has started entering it into film festivals.
A full update on screening opportunities will be in our December blog and newsletter.
This is what the scientists and some of our most trusted experts in the film industry are saying about FOLLOW THE RAIN.
“I am awestruck. It is SUCH a magnificent film. Catherine and Stephen have used all their passion and craft and wit and humanity to create something rich and moving. It is a wonderfully layered love story - an ode to fungi, to nature, to Stephen’s photography, to their own relationship.” Sonya Pemberton, Emmy Award Winning science filmmaker, Genepool Productions
"I was lucky to have a sneak preview of Stephen and Catherine’s new documentary, Follow the Rain. It was great to see the story of how new fungal species are discovered and named, threaded through with information on the vital roles of fungi in nature. As soon as I saw the time-lapse of the fungus growing up, shriveling back down again, tiny little insects taking a nibble, I was hooked. If you’re in the field you don’t notice that. It’s a completely new way of seeing fungi in nature.” Dr Tom May, Mycologist and Senior Botanist at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.
“Every second is mesmerising. The time-lapse images are amazing”, Prof. Roger Shivas, mycologist and plant pathologist University of Southern Queensland.
Our fundraising efforts are now focused on the achieving the final $10,000 of our crowdfunding goal. This money is to assist in the call to action campaign of the documentary, so we can make as much impact with this documentary as we can.
We will work with fungi scientists, Government and NGOs, in Australia and internationally, to screen the documentary, and engage audiences in supporting fungi science initiatives, fungi conservation and participate in fungi citizen science.
1. Policy change – Follow the Rain will contribute to the work of the international 3Fs campaign – Fauna Flora and Funga. Fungi are recognized as critical to life on this planet, however they represent just 0.2 % of our global conservation priorities.
2. Raise awareness about the lack of funding for fungi science and the gaps that need to be filled.
3. Inspire individuals to participate in citizen science.
4. Inspire government and individuals to conserve and nurture habitat of fungi.
Can you help us raise the final $10,000?
Every bit helps - large or small.
Tax deductible donations for Australians are available
via the Documentary Australia website.
One of the stories in FOLLOW THE RAIN features this neon pink mushroom from Lord Howe Island, Australia.
It’s discovery is a great twist in a 10 year journey to identify a new species.
WHY WE ARE MAKING FOLLOW THE RAIN
Did you know humans are only just starting to understand how important fungi are to life on our planet and how critical they are in protecting us from the impacts of climate change? Now we realise that without fungi, the world as we know it would not exist - forests would not exist, and we would not exist. The push is on to document as many species as possible, as fast as possible, and then to understand what they do in the ecosystem.
Raising awareness about fungi is critical to achieving that goal. Your contribution will assist in achieving that mission.
This feature documentary will be the ultimate showcase for the beauty and science of fungi. Our passion for fungi has had the most extraordinary outcomes, from discovering new species, to immersing ourselves in fascinating fungi science, to creating exquisite time-lapses of fungi growing.
We are going to share our world of fungi with you in a way that has never been done before. We are pouring everything we have into this project – 10 years of passion and research. We know the story will be captivating, with fungi adventures in the Gondwana forests of the subtropics, the ancient grand forest of the Tarkine, the desert country of the Flinders Ranges and World Heritage forests of Lord Howe Island.
We will introduce our audience to passionate mycologists and fungi enthusiasts, and we even take you zombie fungus hunting. You will be investing in a project that is inspirational, showing how we can all make a difference to understand the planet we live on.
Our impact campaign aims to::
Create Policy change contributing to the work of the international 3Fs campaign - Fauna Flora and Funga. Fungi are recognized as critical to life on this planet, however they represent just 0.2 % of our global conservation priorities. In Australia biodiversity legislation still classifies fungi under plants and no fungi is listed as endangered due to inadequate research and funding. This project would be used as part of the lobby to change this so that conservation management strategies can be designed and actioned.
Raise awareness about the lack of funding for fungi science and the gaps that need to be filled.
Inspire individuals to participate in citizen science, giving them the tools and to document fungi and uploading their finds to iNaturalist and Atlas of Living Australia.
Educate and promote understanding of the critical role fungi plays on the planet and inspire government and individuals to conserve and nurture its habitat.
We know we can reach our goal. In fact, if everybody who receives this email gives just $25, $50, $100 or $200, we’d easily meet our target.
So we’re asking you to donate today.
Again a big thanks to all who have contributed so far and for those that have we would be grateful if you could spread the word far and wide via your networks to anyone else you think would be interested.