Fungi at Blashford Lakes
I visited Blashford Lakes (a Hampshire Wildlife Trust wildlife reserve) last weekend to take a look at the wild birds that are starting to winter at the lakes, walking round the lakes I regretted not taking my macro lens with me as there was a great display of fresh Shaggy Ink Cap fungi about along with some others. I visited again today – taking along my 100mm Macro lens, but stupidly forgot my quick release adapter to attach my camera to the tripod. So leaving the pod in the car I set off with only my bean bag for support – not ideal in darker conditions, and not so easy to compose the shots. I had to increase the ISO to 400 ( normally use the lowest of 100 for still macro on a tripod).
In the week gone by the shaggy ink caps had mostly disappeared, and there were no real groups about but I did see some fresh ones singularly and this one I took as it was fairly free of distraction. ( I boosted the detail and colours in my new Photoshop plugin toy – Topaz Adjust 5 – but only slightly).
Canon EOS 50D (100mm, f/5, 1/60 sec, ISO400)Shaggy Ink Cap. Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. F5 ISO 400 1/60. Topaz 5 Winter Effect (faded by 60%) applied.
This next example show how the ink caps get there name, as it starts to dissolve into a black gunky – ink like top.
Canon EOS 50D (100mm, f/8, 1/30 sec, ISO400)Weeping Shaggy Ink Cap. Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. F8 ISO 400 1/30.
On route to the ink caps I saw a variety of Parosol type mushrooms – not exactly sure what species. Unfortunately it being dark and not having the pod only this example came out sharp enough.
Canon EOS 50D (100mm, f/3.5, 1/60 sec, ISO400)Parasol type mushroom. Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. F3.5 ISO 400 1/60.
I think this orange fungi also looks nice in the autumn leaves.
Canon EOS 50D (100mm, f/5.6, 1/15 sec, ISO400)Fungi in the leaves. Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. F5.6 ISO 400 1/15.
And this one I’ve cropped to a square frame – the top was just more green moss – and I like this composition better. Again shooting on a tripod would of helped with composing the shot better in the first instance.
Canon EOS 50D (100mm, f/5, 1/25 sec, ISO400)Small fungi in the Moss. Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. F5 ISO 400 1/25. Cropped to square for effect.
And finally a really played about shot – some small fungi in the grass and due. Again using my new plugin toy – Topaz 5 – this time with a glow in the dark preset. I kind of like the surreal effect.
Canon EOS 50D (100mm, f/4.5, 1/50 sec, ISO400)
Glowing Fungi in the Grass. Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. F4.5 ISO 400 1/50. Topaz 5 Adjust GlowInTheDark effect applied.
Map of Location.
1 of the 2 car parks for the reserve.
