I couldn’t resist photographing this fungi yesterday morning. I had noticed it beginning to grow out of the soil the night before. My camera was ready at dawn.

Fungi and dew laden grass, Sebastian County, ArkansasFungi and dew laden grass – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/200, ISO 1250, Canon 100-400mm at 148mm, natural light

The lemon meringue-colored fungi was intriguing, but I haven’t figured out yet what it is. The parasol shape was visually appealing to me too.

To get the photos I took of it, I had my camera as close to the ground as I could get it and turned the LCD screen on, so I didn’t need to use the viewfinder. I simply twisted the LCD screen so I could view it from above.

I took a lot of photos of the fungi in dim light, hoping that some would turn out. I was pleased with most of the resulting images.

Fungi represent a unique aspect of nature that is distinct from plants and animals. Mushrooms, toadstools, and lichens play a crucial role in ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling and supporting various forms of life. They exhibit a vast diversity in forms and functions.

I’m glad I photographed this specimen very early in the morning. By the time the sun had lit it up, the fungi was already beginning to decay.

Life is good.

Mia

I have created a mushroom, toadstool, and lichen photo gallery which can be seen here. ‘ll be adding the other fungi and lichen photos I have taken over the years to it as I have time.