Around this season each year, we venture into the woodlands of Mount Macedon, near Lake Sanitarium, in pursuit of the delicate and elusive wild mushrooms that flourish briefly in the damp and shaded understory. This annual tradition of mushroom hunting is both a ritual and a delight, a quiet communion with the rhythms of the forest. Yet, this year, our efforts have thus far borne no fruit. Twice we have searched the familiar grounds, only to find the earth ungenerous. The unseasonably warm weather has likely discouraged the fungi from their usual emergence, for they thrive best in cooler, moisture-laden air.
Nevertheless, in the spirit of perseverance and appreciation for nature’s finer details, Joel and I turned our attention to the craft of focus stacking—an intricate photographic technique suited for capturing these minute woodland organisms in their full dimensional glory. Each specimen demands patience and precision: we take between twenty and fifty images of a single frame, adjusting focus ever so slightly with each exposure. These are captured wide open, at the lens’s brightest aperture, allowing for maximum light and subtle depth. The process, though meticulous, borders on artistry. Thankfully, modern tools like Adobe Photoshop now make the post-processing more accessible, layering these images into a singular, sharply focused result.
I am truly enamored with the outcome. The images reveal the mushrooms as they are—young, tender sprouts, barely rising from the mossy floor. Their forms are delicate, almost otherworldly in their fragility.
Joel, ever the skilled forager, has an uncanny ability to find the pixie parasol—Mycena interrupta—a rare and enchanting species distinguished by its luminous blue hue and ephemeral presence. His knowledge borders on the encyclopedic, and he often jests, with an arched brow and a knowing smile, “What would you do without me?” Indeed, his companionship and expertise are as indispensable as the forest itself in our shared pursuit of these botanical treasures.
In these quiet moments beneath the towering eucalyptus and mountain ash, surrounded by the ancient breath of the earth, one is reminded that even in scarcity, the forest offers gifts to those who look closely.
Sony A7RV
Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro
Linking Treasure Tuesday
