Fungus sp.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Canon 50D, Canon 180mm macro, Tripod, MLU, ISO 100 +0.3, 1/15 sec, f11.
All C&C welcome.

[Mitch Haimov]

Okay, now you're showing off Jon! You seem to have an endless supply of excellent macro subjects where you live. Anyway, another really cool subject very nicely lit--the soft, dappled light works well. As with your thread of Sunday, I find the BG somewhat busy. What is the green thing right in front of the base of the stipe? Does not appear natural.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hi Mitch, just about all the backgrounds are busy when the fungi are on the ground as opposed to on a tree trunk. The thing at the front is an out of focus leaf, I did a little repair work to make it less obvious and then I forgot to take a good look at it- have to agree not my best repair!

[LinzRiverBalmer]

very interesting indeed, must love fungus. Now you will having me post my all time favorite, I will see if its up to par.

I agree about the BG, but if it was in a less noisy BG I never would guess it was a shroom, it could easily be a sculpture, building, UFO.

Love the textures and the lighting, the RS is find to me, the left could use a bit less of the green so you really focus on the lighting that is hitting the forest floor and the fungus.

Nice shot.

[Satish Ranadive]

Jonathan,
Beautiful subject with nice colors. I like the superb texture and details on it. If mine I would just darken the leaves just above the back edge.
Leaves on the LHS looks beautiful.

Regards,
Satish.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jon, for me is just too close to the foot, if this is FF then moving the whole crop down would have helped hugely, if not perhaps a portrait format?. As present I might have gone a bit more to the right to off-set it, being central I feel unbalances the composition. Do you think having less light and more directional may have given the image a bit more 'edge'? Curious why 1/15sec, would you not want more, curious as i have not ventured into this realm? :w3

If you really want more fungi to shoot in interesting habitats, I know a very good guy who runs workshops and is part of the RPS. :S3:

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the feedback everyone much appreciated. I expected mixed reviews regarding composition, that's fine by me we all see things differently.
Steve not sure what you meant by 1/15 would you not want more. I exposed for the highlights.

[Steve Kaluski]

Jonathan, I just thought 1/15sec was very slow and increasing ISO to give a better SS might help, but perhaps a slower SS with fungi is better, no idea? :S3:

Steve the overriding issue for me is image quality so I go for ISO 100 and (usually) f11 in macro when ever practicable. Everything was still so I wasn't concerned about the low shutter speed, I use mirror lock up, an electronic cable release and a gitzo tripod and when I raise the mirror I wait a second or so before firing the shutter.:w3