A FESTIVE APPETITE FOR FUNGI đđâ¨
In our festive season blog, discover Stephen Axfordâs expert tips for photographing the worldâs most âpromiscuousâ fungus đâđŤđ¸, get a sneak peek at the fungi-inspired magic coming to Adelaide Fringe and Woodford Folk Festival đś, and join Stephen and Catherine as they reflect on a remarkable year of fungal adventures.
Natureâs festive season decorations on fallen leaves after a summer shower - Marasmius sp. Booyong, NSW. Australia.
A big thank you from Stephen and Catherine
With the festive season upon us, we find ourselves reflecting on the wonders weâve experienced this year, the connections weâve forged, and the incredible fungi weâve encountered.
2024 has been an extraordinary year for Planet Fungi, and weâre deeply grateful to all of you whoâve joined us on this journey of discovery, photography, and storytelling.
Our documentary Follow the Rain is screening in Australia and New Zealand, and is starting to roll out to international audiences, inspiring us all to look closer at the hidden kingdoms under our feet.
(Scroll down to find out how you may be able to help see FOLLOW THE RAIN on screens in your country.)
Your enthusiasm and support have kept us motivated, whether through your thoughtful comments on social media, attendance at screenings, donations during crowdfunding, clicking play on Netflix Australasia, or shared stories of your own fungi finds.
As we celebrate the festive season, weâre reminded that fungi are the ultimate recyclersâturning decay into life, weaving ecosystems together, and thriving in even the most unexpected places. In a world that sometimes feels fractured, fungi teach us about resilience, interconnection, and transformation.
Looking forward to 2025, we invite you to join us in stepping outside, rain or shine, and exploring the wonders of the fungal world. Weâre excited about whatâs ahead: new adventures, new stories, and, of course, new fungi!
Weâll continue to bring you stunning photography, helpful tips, screening opportunities and inspiring tales of the people and fungi shaping the future.
From us at Planet Fungi to you and your loved ones, we wish you a joyous festive season. May it be filled with discovery, wonder, and a bit of mycelial magic.
For a sneak peak at Mushrooms Whisperers - click here
Incredible fungi line-up at Adelaide Fringe Festival
Planet Fungi is back at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2025, bringing you three extraordinary fungi-inspired experiences that promise to amaze, inspire, and immerse you in the hidden world of fungi.
đ Piccadilly Cinema
đ
Friday, March 14 â Saturday, March 15
The Mushroom Whisperers is an immersive, sensual experience like no other. It is an audio-visual concert featuring Romano Crivici and Carla Thackrah playing to the backdrop of stunning timelapse footage from Stephen Axford and Catherine Marciniak of Planet Fungi (as seen in Sleeps Hill Tunnel and Follow the Rain). Also playing live with Romano and Carla is one of Australiaâs finest didgeridoo players Mark Atkins, and multi-instrumentalist Jess Ciampa - the quartet bring you an intimate, immersive live music event in the beautiful Piccadilly Cinema
đď¸ Book now: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-mushroom-whisperers-af2025
The Mushroom Whisperers - live performance by L-R Romano Crivici, Jess Ciampa, Carla Thackrah and Mark Atkins.
The Mushroom Whisperers is also featured December 27 - 30 at Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland.đđ
đż Fri Dec 27 | Arbour | 11:30 PM
đż Sun Dec 29| Arbour | 8 PM
đż Mon Dec 30 | Arbour | 9 PM
2. Sleepâs Hill Tunnel â An Immersive Experience
đ Sleepâs Hill Tunnel, Adelaide
đ
February 14 â March 30
After its award-winning, sell-out season in 2024, the incredible Sleepâs Hill Tunnel immersive experience is back!
In 2024, this one-of-a-kind event sold 20,868 tickets, earning its place among the top ten highest-selling shows of the festival.
đ What to Expect:
Step into the historic Sleepâs Hill Tunnel, transformed into a mesmerizing fungi wonderland. Using state-of-the-art projection mapping, soundscapes, and interactive storytelling, youâll be guided through the mysteries of fungiâfrom glowing bioluminescent mushrooms to sprawling underground mycelial networks.
This sensory feast is perfect for all ages and an absolute must-see for anyone attending Adelaide Fringe.
đď¸ Selling fast, so book early to avoid disappointment: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/sleeps-hill-tunnel-af2025
3. FUNGI: Web of Life â Dome Experience
đ Custom Dome, Adelaide Fringe Hub
đ
February 21 â March 23
Step inside a world of wonder with Fungi: Web of Life, an immersive dome experience presented by Merlin Sheldrake (Entangled Life) and narrated by the legendary BjĂśrk.
⨠Why Youâll Love It:
From the microscopic beauty of spores to the vast networks of mycelium beneath the forest floor, this dome experience combines science, art, and technology to leave you in awe.
đď¸ Secure your spot now: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/fungi-web-of-life-full-dome-experience-af2025
Fungi: Web of Life is currently screening worldwide. Find your closest IMAX or DOME cinema here https://www.fungimovie.com/theaters
You can also contact your local IMAX cinema and ask for it by nameâor request an on-demand screening here.
Help Bring Follow the Rain to International Audiences
Follow the Rain was showcased in the session LITTLE GEMS in December at the prestigious World Congress of Science and Factual Producers 2024. We are grateful for this acknowledgement.
Weâre working tirelessly to get Follow the Rain licensed by international streaming and broadcast networks. Itâs an uphill challenge, as many of these networks prioritize series over one-off documentaries like ours. But hereâs where you can make a difference!
Some of our amazing supporters have been reaching out to their favourite broadcasters and streamers via social media or email, asking when theyâll be screening Follow the Rain. This simple action lets them know thereâs a passionate audience waiting for this projectâand it really could make a difference.
If youâre up for helping, weâd be incredibly grateful. And rest assured, if we donât have a streamer or broadcaster in your country lined up by mid 2025, weâll explore on-demand screening opportunities in your region.
Together, letâs show the world the magic of fungi!
Photography Tips with Stephen Axford: Capturing the Beauty of Schizophyllum commune.
Wherever you are in the world this festive season, keep an eye out for what might just be the most widespread and promiscuous fungus on the planetâSchizophyllum commune.
Youâre likely to find it on fallen branches, cut logs, or even charred stumps, especially after a good rain. At first glance, it might not look like much.
From the top, it can appear a bit plain. But flip it over, and it reveals its true beautyâa delicate, split gill pattern that looks like lace.
Hereâs why I think Schizophyllum commune is fascinating and some tips to help you photograph it at its best.
Why Itâs Worth Photographing
This fungus is a master of survival. With over 23,000 mating types, it can reproduce with almost any of its own kind.
It can also resurrect itself. One day it might look shrivelled and lifeless, but give it a bit of rain, and it will rehydrate, unfurl its gills, and start growing again from its active tips.
When the conditions are just right, it can look stunning, with its gills glistening with water droplets and the webs of tiny insects.
Top Tips for Photographing Schizophyllum commune
Always Check the Underside
The underside is where the magic happens. The gills of Schizophyllum commune are split, creating intricate details that are mesmerising up close. Use a macro lens to capture the lace-like textureâitâs truly unique.
Donât Overlook the Top Side
While the gills steal the show, the top side can also be worth photographing. Look for interesting patterns, textures, and colours that can add another layer of interest to your fungal portraits.
Find the Right Specimen
After a few days of rain, scout for fresh, rehydrated specimens. Look for ones adorned with water droplets and webs, as these add an extra touch of sparkle and visual interest. When choosing a subject, I often aim for specimens with distinct, well-defined, clear boundaries that isolate the beauty of the individual fungus and create a more striking composition than photographing a crowded cluster.
Schizophyllum commune on recently charred wood after a forest fire.
Lighting Matters
Good lighting is essential to bring out the details. I recommend soft, diffused lightâovercast days are perfect for fungi photography. Use aluminium foil to light the underside. If youâre shooting under bright sunlight, consider using a diffuser or placing your specimen in the shade for more even lighting.
Choose a Complementary Background
Since Schizophyllum commune often grows on small, movable branches or cut logs, you can carefully reposition your specimen to enhance your composition. Look for a background that contrasts with the fungus, such as distant dark foliage or mossy surfaces, to create visual depth and separation. For most of these images, I chose the creek on our property as the backdrop, with the dark green water and foliage of the far bank providing a rich, natural contrast. By positioning the fungus 3-4 meters from the background, I achieved a beautifully blurred effect, throwing the background out of focus and drawing attention to the intricate details of the fungal portrait. This distance is key to isolating your subject and making it stand out.
Bracket Your Shots
I use focus bracketing to capture the depth and beauty of the detail in these specimens.
Use a Tripod for Stability
To capture the fine details of the gills or water droplets, stability is key. A tripod allows for slower shutter speeds, focus bracketing and sharper images, especially in low-light conditions.
For what is perhaps my most iconic portrait of Schizophyllum commune, I used the mossy bluestone rocks of a retaining wall on our shaded back veranda as the distant backdrop.
The contrasting pink and blue hues and the exquisite, uniquely detailed form of this specimen have made it a favourite among fungi enthusiasts and publishers alike. You may even recognise it from the cover of the illustrated edition of Merlin Sheldrakeâs New York Times bestseller âEntangled Lifeâ
So, this festive season, take some time to explore your local environment, whether itâs a forest, a park, or even your backyard. Keep an eye out for Schizophyllum commune, and donât forget to look beneath the surfaceâliterally. You might just discover something extraordinary.
Zothiswa Nzimande is the supervisor of a porcini mushroom-picking team in South Africa. She is one of the women we follow in our next short documentary Harvesting Hope: 50 Years of Mushrooms and Empowerment in South Africa. This is a collaboration with Africaâs Best Foods and Applied Symbiotics.
In 2025, we will share updates on our two fungi field trips in Africa, the international rollout of Follow the Rainâincluding educational opportunities internationally âand news about our upcoming coffee table book.
Together, weâll continue to explore and celebrate the endlessly fascinating world of fungi. Hereâs to another year of discovery,
Stay curious, stay connected, and stay fungal!
Stephen Axford & Catherine Marciniak
Planet Fungi đżđ
The Miraculous Mushroom 2025 Wall Calendar
Celebrate the exquisite beauty and science of fungi every day with Stephen Axford's breathtaking photography.
Each month unveils a new image from the enchanting fungal kingdom. Printed sustainably with a design that eliminates the use of plastics, this calendar is a thoughtful gift for nature lovers and fungi enthusiasts.
Order now: https://a.co/d/iVlMG19
SUPPORT FUNGAL 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.
