Another view of the tree fungus

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

This is a wider view of the fungus I posted a few days ago: The next stump + RP

I’d never seen anything quite like it. Some rotting stumps seem to be serving a good purpose.

Specific Feedback

All comments welcome!

Technical Details

Screenshot 2024-02-12 at 11.17.05 AM

Minor global tonal work in LR. A focus stack of maybe 15-20. Some very minor BG cleanup in PS. Cropped from both sides for composition.

2 Likes

Diane: I really enjoy this wider view and again love all the fine details and textures. Your work on this subject is inspiring. Many kudos! >=))>

Diane, you sure have a nice opportunity for macro photography right in your yard, (right?) with these two stumps and all the fungus on them. I am hoping when we get to go to the camper again that I can find something like this up there. No woods or stumps near me and I have to stay at home and in my yard when we are here. Plenty of woods all around the camper. Also a nice wood pile. Anyway, you sure are inspiring me with all of these wonderful shots.

Thanks, @Bill_Fach and @Shirley_Freeman! It’s just up the hill behind the house. There are unfortunately several rotting stumps up there, thanks to one of our famous CA wildfires. The trees had provided lovely dappled light on spring and summer mornings for bird photography at the feeders. Now good light with a good BG is harder to come by. But I’m glad the stumps are yielding a small return.

2 Likes

A beautiful image, Diane. I’ve never seen this fungus and it’s just gorgeous. The background also works very well and your stack looks excellent.

While I don’t like to lose r=trees either, rotting stumps and logs are a wonderful part of the ecosystem.

I love this second version of the fungus, Diane! I think they both serve their purpose in showing nature up close yet in different ways - the other with all the water beads on the webbing, and this one with the larger and smaller piece like it’s a family/colony! I agree with @Dennis_Plank that it’s all part of the ecosystem, they provide such food for things we can’t even see, yet it IS a challenge when it changes the light you used to have, or the bigger picture that used to be there. Northern CA must be full of this stuff now with all the deadwood from fires and the rains, oh my gosh the rains!! (written while sitting in sunny Death Valley. :wink: )

Thanks, @Dennis_Plank and @brenda_tharp! I went back and measured the clumps yesterday – this one is 2" across and both the smaller two I posted earlier are 1/2" across. And all are now drying up.

It’s going to rain for the next ten days so maybe there will be another crop of something interesting.