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Beside a dead log
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Beside a dead log

by Carolyn Derstine

Gallery: FloraPosted February 16, 201393 views8 comments
Did you know that fungi recycle plants after they die and transform them into rich soil? If not for mushrooms and fungi, the Earth would be buried in several feet of debris and life on the planet would soon disappear...yikes!--Nature Conservancy of PA

I always find fungi of all types fascinating and they do perform an important service for us. :smile: This photo was taken in the mountain forests of Northern PA several years ago.

Panasonic DMC-FZ28. 14mm at F/3.4 for 1/40 sec. ISO 400. Natural lighting.

Comments

8 comments
Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on February 16, 2013 at 9:20 PM
Hi Carolyn,

I like the composition and the contrast between background and subject matter makes the mushroom and leaves stand out. There is a little sharpening artifact present in the image which is easy to fix in post processing. Thank you for posting......................Jim
Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on February 17, 2013 at 12:53 AM
Carolyn:
Beautiful. I like the contrast of the fungus and the bg . Very rich earthy color. :toast:
Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments
Comment posted by John Neukirch on February 17, 2013 at 7:48 AM
Absolutely beautiful, especially the larger version, I also have a thing for the decomposers of our world, we certainly wouldn't survive very long without them. The fallen leaves at the bottom really add a nice visual effect. :toast:
Registered on July 9, 2012, 207 Posts, 1476 Comments
Comment posted by Beth Huebner on February 17, 2013 at 8:36 AM
Love the colors of the log, the bright green of the green leaves contrasting with the brown ones at the lower edge of the image and the beautiful floral shape of the fungi.The composition is very good with the fungi occupying the right side of the image and the leaves nicely completing the left side. Out of the ordinary can come great beauty. Good for you for seeing the potential in this shot.
Registered on January 28, 2013, 19 Posts, 56 Comments
Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on February 17, 2013 at 9:37 AM
It looks like a flower with the splits in the head if the fungus ! Lovely find and capture !
Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Fach on February 17, 2013 at 12:44 PM
Carolyn: What a great find and a compelling capture. Great comp and textures. 2 thumbs up! >=))>
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments
Comment posted by Larry Lynch on February 18, 2013 at 1:24 PM
Love this. :smile: The contrasts of color really catch your attention. Beautifully done. :toast:
Registered on September 16, 2006, 773 Posts, 9940 Comments
Comment posted by Wayne Jones on February 18, 2013 at 11:48 PM
Wow, I love it when a shot looks this artistic, and EVERYTHING is in tack-sharp focus.
Wonderful comp and light, with the colors adding to the scene without distracting from the 'shroom.

Thanks for providing ecological plug, too. Decomposers like fungi, insects, and bacteria don't get enough credit for their vital role in our world. Dead trees are the basis for a fascinating food web involving hundreds of species of interesting organisms.
Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments