After a rather methodical summer of find a tree, snap a tree, return properly the next week, I’ve been going out on more open-minded outings, sometimes with a light load and at other times feeling like a Sherpa carrying a sturdy, if overly heavy, tripod.

The reason is clear from above I’d hope – mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of fungi!

It transpires these appear in flushes, something I’d not considered until recently, explaining why on occasions when others are able to find dozens of wonderful specimens I’ve been left with the nibbled ones, turning over into rot. Wait a few days, ideally after rain, and the results are well worth it, with a recent trip resulting in so many to choose from near a car park I had to force myself to cross the woods just to get some exercise!

Many of the pics I’ve taken lately have been with a speedlight flash in tow. This is to control the balance between hero lighting and background, but also to control the direction. Ordinarily I’m using a daylight correction gel on the speedlight and a softbox around that if I’m feeling snazzy. In the case of the rustgill above a tripod was necessary, whereas the others I either used, or could get away with, a beanbag. The overall setup with camera and macro lens ends up looking a bit like the following.

With all the mushrooms really getting going recently here in the South East of England, it’s hard to imagine not photographing them and concentrating on the changing leaves, but I may well do so soon as that change has been quite late in the places I frequent.