Wednesday, June 09, 2010

scores of spores

I like them in my salad, on pizza, with steak... but not in my lawn.

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Wanting to get a good view of the underside, I pulled one out and held it upside down for the photo. Then, I flipped the image back around to post it. This was a few feet away from the grass, which is why we got that nice bokeh around the 'shroom. Now that's putting the "fun" in fungus, eh? But now that I look at it, I wish I had done it differently...

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What if I mounted a remote controlled flash on a tripod, softened the harsh light (from the flash) with tissue paper, and angled the shot (with the mushroom above the flash) so that the sky was in the background instead of the lawn? Woulda, coulda, shoulda...

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After snapping this photo, I raked up all the mushrooms, but I'll try to remember the idea for that other shot next time.

22 comments:

Gaelyn said...

I like the capture and ideas for future. But why don't you like shrooms in your yard?

DeniseinVA said...

Great shot, glad you're not trying to eat any ;)

DeniseinVA said...

Thanks for stopping by, nope wouldn't want to get too close to mother moose and her babies. They are beautiful animals to watch, but like most of our larger wildlife, viewing should be at a safe distance :)

HappyK said...

By raking them you probably spread more of them around your yard. I've always heard you should pick them so you don't spread the spores around. Just saying.
Interesting shot!

Craver Vii said...

My front yard is only for grass, Gaelyn. Oh, I have a tree and some bushes and flowers, but the lawn part is like a green carpet. That's the way I like it.

I'm not that brave to go eating things off the lawn Denise. I have friends that do, but not me.

D'oh! Yes, that makes perfect sense, Happyone. I should have thought of that.

imac said...

Nice idea and 10/10 for the effort, I much more prefer a lawn to look wild (like me some say).

Pastor Dave said...

it looks like you shrunk yourself in the tall grass to get this pic!
new movie: I SHRUNK MYSELF TO GET A GOOD PICTURE.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Craver: Let the spores flow and you will get some more chances to take the shot. I like the way it turned out.

Anonymous said...

Craver - Your photos really are stunning! (Even if they are of fungus!) I like the idea of the sky in the background. That would make it seem like a very large mushroom or a very tiny photographer.

I don't get shrooms in my yard too often, but I do get them growing in my mulch. They are certainly hearty!

Blessings to you and yours!

Carletta said...

I was beginning to envy you for being able to get down so close and then I read you held it upside down.
With my arthritic knees I knew I couldn't - now you filled my head with ideas. :)
Very nice bokeh!

I think Mr. Dave has been taking comment lessons from you. ;)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Good shot!!! Did you eat it afterwards? :)

Wendy said...

Mmm... steak and mushrooms....
I think that's a great idea Craver, I would look awesome! Now you got me thinkin, hehe.

lime said...

i've been known to lay down on the grass and shoot up.

Shammickite said...

You could make a spore print by putting the mushroom gill side down on some white paper and then you could identify what kind of musroom it is. I bet is was simply a field mushroom, quite edible, then you could have had it with some bacon and eggs for brekky, Yum!

Craver Vii said...

That's how my work area is Imac, but not my lawn. At least not as long as I've lived in Bolingbrook. My Chicago home was a different story altogether.

Imagine the pics you could get if that were possible, Mr. Dave! Of course, that means I would see bugs in a whole new way as well - or rather, they would see ME in a whole new way... yikes!!

I'll try the pic again, but I just hope I don't have to pick mushrooms from my front yard, Fishing Guy.

Charity!! Hi sister, it's good to see you. I did a similar technique with a dandelion last year around the time of my gall bladder surgery. If you click on the link, it might not make sense without the surgery context.

Mulch is fine. I would not mind them in the mulch, or just about anywhere else other than my front lawn.

Craver Vii said...

Carletta, we was tricksy with my camera--my precious. Mr. Dave and I jest and laugh with each other quite a lot, actually. He's a cool friend, and a godly man.

No Joan. Momma told me not to eat stuff off the ground. I'm curious though... is that something that I need to wash off first, or do I just pluck it and eat it right there?

Mushrooms and gravy drizzled over a thick, juicy steak. Mmmmm... That's good eatin'! Believe it or not Leeloo, I have steak for lunch today, but it's not with mushrooms and gravy. C'est la vie!

Oh Lime, that was baaaaaad! (lol)

Thanks for that tip Shammy. Maybe I'll try that next time. After I take the picture, that is!

George said...

Your ideas for 'next time' are interesting and would probably result in a wonderful picture, but I think this one is great as is.

mommanator said...

remined me of the funny shaped sonora cactus in Arizona

Wendy said...

Mmm, I bet that steak was still good :P

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm so glad you decided not to fry that mushroom in butter. :)

Craver Vii said...

Well thanks, George. I appreciate that.

I'll have to look those up, Mommanator.

Yes indeedy! Leeloo, I couldn't even finish it.

Butter?! No EG... I'm lactose intolerant. But raw mushrooms go well when they're lightly kissed with Italian dressing - never drowned. It is my opinion that piling gobs of dressing is the way of children who do not know how to study the way a food tastes. Otherwise, mushrooms in gravy is a mouthwatering compliment to almost any steak. Drizzle some of that on top, and listen to your taste buds sing the Hallelujah Chorus!

Ted M. Gossard said...

A real photographer indeed! What a work of art! God's creation is amazing.