Mushroom Madness

You didn’t think I’d leave the summer behind without a mushroom post did you?

Didn’t think so.

I wasn’t able to go out much, but when I did I hit it big. That’s a russula up there. Most likely the one they call The Sickener. I loved the dramatic lighting, but this type is especially photogenic as you will see.

This next one, a hygrocybe cantharellus I believe, is more subtle.

I think this next one is a mycena of some type. Even with 6 books and the internet, mushroom ID is so hard.

That one I especially like since it’s not the usual way I shoot mushrooms. I really need to break out of my way of thinking about these little guys and be more creative.

I found a couple of species of lactarius I think. I really should have examined them more closely in the field, but I am pretty sure I’m right. These guys are probably lactarius thyinos or deliciousus. They were shot with the Lumix Vario 35-100 f2.8 lens, one I really should use more since it’s super sharp, but it doesn’t focus all that close (like 2 feet or something), so I often find that I’m too removed from the scene compared to how I usually work with a macro or shorter telephoto. I love the way the light gets caught in the gills.

This reddish one gave me fits. Could be a russula (sanguinae) or maybe another type of lactarius, which would be easy to test in the field since they cry or bleed when the gills are cut (hence the name). Alas, I only photographed them. I’m leaning toward lactarius because russulas don’t look like this with age, in my experience.