If you don’t hang out in flora, you may have missed this photo I posted of a group of Entoloma abortivum fruiting on a tree that came down in a thunderstorm a couple of years ago. It’s an 8-image stack.
I love this shot for the textures and the fallen leaf and the mystery below. I’ve been an avid mushroom photographer for over a decade, but with that many shots a lot of then end up being kinda the same. In an attempt to stretch my creativity with fungi photos, I created this. To me it does two things - something different with mushroom photography, at least my mushroom photography, and second represents my intent, planning and success with producing such a photo. Not that I’m patting myself on the back exactly, but I think we often run ourselves down when it comes to our talents.
Specific Feedback Requested
Whatever you’ve got.
Technical Details
Tripod in natural light and focus bracketing using the 0/-/+ method - used 8 out of about 20 images taken
Lr for wb adjustment & a bit of an exposure boost since I deliberately underexposed it so as to keep things looking more like deep shade. Lowered shadows on the edges more. The usual S-curve for most everything else. Some texture, clarity, sharpening & nr. A lot of masking to manage the contour and texture in the mushrooms.
Zerene for stack. DMap with PMax detail in the mushroom. This left the deep shadows relatively noise free.
Photoshop for some distraction removal and some work with the TK8 panel - color, luminosity and zone masks as stencils for some dodging and burning to bring up contour. Clarity action with a black mask so I could paint it in where needed. Changed the leaf color to a more orange since it was a greenish yellow and that didn’t work. More dodging and burning, especially around the edges to reduce the presence of the mushrooms lower down.
I did miss this! It’s lovely. The curled up edges are so interesting. That bottom one feels like it’s being presented by the upper three - coming onto the stage from behind the curtain. And that little leaf and the scrape marks are perfect.
Beautifully crafted, Kris - small wonder it’s a favorite for you. I have a question. You say: “DMap with PMax detail in the mushroom.” I also use Zerene. Is this an action in Retouching? Could you clarify for me please as my knowledge of stacking is very basic. Many thanks.
Thanks @linda_mellor, @Bonnie_Lampley & @Mike_Friel - glad this isn’t too creepy and weird although it is something I think Morticia Addams would appreciate! The mushrooms themselves aren’t edible when they’re like this, but when they take over Honey mushrooms (Armillaria ) they become edible and the two merged fungi are known as Shrimp of the Woods and a lot of people eat them.
So Mike, yes, blending PMax and DMap is done in retouching. Usually I will retouch a DMap image because I can generate a nice smooth background with very little noise. I also like the color rendering in DMap a lot better. PMax files tend to be crunchier and nosier with some frustrating haloing, but often contain lots of lovely detail. So I start retouching on the DMap and load the PMax as a source file to paint details from it to the target DMap. Does that make sense? I have some Zerene screenshots of this up on the blog if that will help. I can post the link.
Hope this is coherent. Covid is kicking my butt a little today!
Looking back over the newest critiques, I thought I had committed on this one. Apparently not.
I remember the first time you posted this image how much I loved it and I still do. What a magnificent shot, Kristen. You did an incredible job with the composition of these mushrooms and processing them. Such detail! The leaf adds interest and the color detail is amazing. Great BG. Excellent!!
This is an excellent macro, Kristen! I love the detailed textures and gorgeous colors. The little gold leaf is a special bonus because of the contrasting but compatible color and the different details. You did a lot of work on this and it really paid off! I still have yet to try stacking but my hat is off to you for going through that learning curve so that you can take full advantage of the software and techniques. The results are definitely worth it!
Thanks @Donna_Callais, @Mike_Friel & @Gary_Minish - this is a special one for me, that’s for sure. I really hope more grow in their place next summer. The biggest one is about 3 1/2 inches across.
Glad my Covid-fogged brain made some sense, Mike! OMG it’s a drag. Still coughing, but mostly feeling fine.
Stacking is indeed a learning curve, but one I enjoyed experimenting with, not that it ever ends! More mushrooms will come my way and other stuff that I can fool around with. Always something!
Great textures and i love how you framed the shot. Very interesting shot. I think the leaf is an addition to the photo but it would work well if it was not there. The edge of the plant on upper left is way to cool. do you ever vignette your photos. maybe a slight very slight vignette on this and then again maybe not. Beautiful photograph !!!
Thanks @Gill_Vanderlip - Mushrooms are my catnip. Cannot resist them. These are in the yard and the fallen tree is becoming colonized with this species and others so more will be on the way. Actually, now I think of it, I didn’t post some gorgeous Bear’s Head Tooth fungi that is on the same tree. Maybe I should dig it up.
I do occasionally use a vignette, but mostly I use burning to accomplish the same thing with more flexibility. In this case it was to darken the mushrooms underneath so the top ones stood out more. I also applied less clarity (local contrast) to the mushroom parts at the very edges. For me this is sometimes a more effective way to keep eyes where I want them and doesn’t look like it’s an “edit” in the way a vignette sometimes can. If that make sense.
It’s a great photo. The TONE is really good and I love that the images run off the page. Edward Weston did that in his work. Keeps me interested and curious
