NEW ZEALAND’S FUNKY FUNGI
May’s Planet Fungi news includes a roundup of the unique fungi we found in New Zealand with advice on the challenges of capturing their tricky colours. We share exciting news about our collaboration with Escapade Media, upcoming fungi photography workshops, and screenings of Follow the Rain in New South Wales, Tasmania and Austria (yes, Austria!)
Entoloma hochstetteri
STUNNING AND BIZARRE - THE FUNGI OF NEW ZEALAND
For years, we have dreamt about going to New Zealand for fungi season, and this year, we were presented with an opportunity we couldn't pass up.
A close virtual friend, the talented slime mould and mini mushroom photographer Alison Pollack, along with the very knowledgeable mycologist Christian Schwarz, organised a group of like-minded fungi fanatics to do a slow-moving fungi crawl across the stunning landscapes of New Zealand.
Starting off on the South Island in the Fiordland of Milford Sound, we made our way north to Arthur’s Pass and then Nelson Lakes, and finally ended up in the thermal regions of Tongariro National Park on the North Island.
Along the way, we were treated to some jaw-dropping moments as we discovered and captured the beauty of New Zealand’s unique fungi, from pouch fungi to vibrant waxcaps and translucent jelly babies, not to mention the countless Cortinarius species.
Entoloma hochstetteri
Of course, no New Zealand fungi adventure would be complete without encountering the stunning azure of Entoloma hochstetteri, also known as werewere-kōkako by the Maori.
Fun fact: this mushroom is so special that it's featured on a New Zealand stamp and their fifty-dollar note, making it the only banknote in the world that showcases a mushroom.
We invite you to connect with us on Instagram and Facebook for more fascinating tales and photographs from our fungi-filled journey through the enchanting landscapes of New Zealand.
Scroll down for photography tips on post-producing some of the colourful New Zealand pouch fungi.
We thank our colleagues on this expedition, the most delightful travelling companions from whom we learned so much L-R: Christian Schwarz, Sigrid Jakob, Don Moore, Dean Lyons, Alison Pollack, Pam Buesing (and Phil Carpenter - looking for fungi somewhere no doubt) Stephen Axford and Catherine Marciniak on the left.
GET IN FAST FOR UPCOMING SCREENINGS
FOLLOW THE RAIN
We advise you to book ahead as screenings have been selling out fast.
Next month, FOLLOW THE RAIN screens in Vienna, Austria as a double feature with
VIENNA HADYN CINEMA, AUSTRIA – 20 JUNE in collaboration with MyPilz
In June, we go on tour in Australia, starting in Grafton and then moving south to the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales.
There are screenings in Tasmania in September.
NEW SOUTH WALES
GRAFTON REGIONAL GALLERY, – 8 JUNE, 5.00 PM – only a few seats left, with Q&A
NAROOMA KINEMA, NSW – 21 June, 6.30 PM in collaboration with Fungi Feastival, with Q&A
MORUYA @THE RED DOOR, NSW - 22 June, 6.00 PM - in collaboration with Fungi Feastival, with Q&A
MERIMBULA – THE PICTURE SHOW MAN, NSW - 24 June, 7.00 PM - in collaboration with Fungi Feastival, with Q&A
BATEMAN’S BAY – PERRY STREET CINEMAS, NSW – 28 June, 7.00 PM - in collaboration with Fungi Feastival, with Q&A
BARRAGA BAY – FOUR WINDS, NSW – 29 June, 2.00 PM - in collaboration with Fungi Feastival, with Q&A
MURWILLUMBAH Regent cinema - 8 August, 6.30 PM, – tickets on sale next month
TASMANIA
HOBART STATE THEATRE, TAS – 26 September – 6.00 PM
Q&A with Stephen Axford, Catherine Marciniak
and mycologist, Dr Genevieve Gates
OTHER TASMANIAN SCREENINGS – TICKETS ON SALE SOON
LAUNCESTON – venue TBC - 19 Sept with Q&A
STANLEY TOWN HALL - 20 Sept with Q&A
QUEENSTOWN PARAGON - 22 Sept with Q&A
Cortinarius porphyroides
STEPHEN’S MAY PHOTOGRAPHY TIP
Did you know that New Zealand boasts some incredible pouch mushrooms? Many of them flaunt stunning blue, purple, and violet hues that are just breathtaking.
But capturing these colours accurately on camera can be quite the challenge.
Some shades of violet are particularly tricky to reproduce correctly on screens or in print. This happens because our eyes perceive violet and purple as nearly identical due to a quirk in our vision. The red-sensitive pigments in our eyes can pick up both red and violet light. However, many cameras don’t register the red and interpret violet as blue.
I experienced this firsthand while photographing New Zealand’s colourful pouch fungi with my Sony a7rV camera.
Getting the fungi to look the same vibrant shades of blue and purple they appeared in the field was surprisingly tough. I ended up using Photoshop to isolate the fungus from the background and then tweaked the colour separately from the rest of the image.
Interestingly, our fellow travellers with smartphones had a bit more luck. The inbuilt software on their phones did a decent job adjusting colour, making for a pretty passable reproduction of these gorgeous fungi.
Happy mushroom hunting, and may your photos be as colourful as the fungi themselves!
Clavogaster virescens
Download our free How to photograph and describe my fungus field guide.
Remember to upload your photographs and observations to iNaturalist to help expand the knowledge of species identification and distribution.
For more advanced photography tips you can stream Stephen Axford’s
Masterclass in macro fungi photography
or watch this free video on YouTube about Focus bracketing with the Sony α7R V.
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS AND
FUNGI FORAY IN AUSTRALIA
What's not to love about photographing fungi?
These beautiful sculptural organisms are incredibly colourful and diverse and the perfect characters for a photographic portrait in nature.
And just by documenting the mushrooms we see, each of us has the capacity to increase what the world knows about this neglected kingdom of life.
In this workshop, Stephen and Catherine Marciniak, will teach you how to get the best photograph of a mushroom with the camera you have in your bag, whether that is the top-of-the-line digital camera or your mobile phone.
These workshops at Wallagoot and Bateman’s Bay, are part of the Fungi Feastival on the NSW south coast in June.
Stephen and Catherine will also lead an afternoon stroll in Mimosa Rocks National Park to find elusive and hopefully less elusive fungi.
For tickets and more details about these events and all the spectacular Fungi Feastival program go to https://www.fungifeastival.com.au/
Watch the official trailer for FOLLOW THE RAIN on YouTube
PLANET FUNGI AND ESCAPADE MEDIA JOIN FORCES TO UNLEASH 'FOLLOW THE RAIN'
Following three sold-out debut screenings, 'Follow the Rain' has emerged as a favourite across generations. It is a must-see for those curious about how our world works.
This month, we are thrilled to announce that we are collaborating with Natalie Lawley and Escapade Media to launch our documentary globally. A decade in the making, it's a labour of love that finds a perfect advocate in Escapade, renowned for championing authentic narratives about our natural world.
Natalie Lawley, Managing Director, from Escapade Media echoes this excitement, stating, ‘Escapade is thrilled to have secured worldwide rights for Follow the Rain. Catherine and Stephen’s film is exquisite and includes some of the most incredible natural history footage, I have ever seen. The interest in Fungi is worldwide and growing every day. We are looking forward to launching this very special documentary at Mipcom 24.’
We will keep you updated on international streaming and broadcast opportunities. And if you are an international streamer or broadcaster and are interested in screening Follow the Rain please contact Natalie at Escapade Media.
Heterotextus miltinus
SUPPORT FUNGI RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION
If you would like to support more research into, and conservation of, this fascinating, important, but understudied area of science, there are three organisations that we partner with, who work tirelessly in these areas.
AUSTRALIA - Big Scrub Conservancy Foundation
INTERNATIONAL - Fungi Foundation
Every little bit helps.
You can also find us on Instagram and YouTube - @Planet_Fungi.
With love and gratitude,
Catherine and Stephen