Fall is mushroom photography season

[camille1585]

Next to orchids, my other hobby is photography. I love taking photos of my orchids, but one of my other favorite subjects is mushrooms! I find them weird and fascinating, and their diversity, much like with orchids, makes them fun to photograph. The warm light that is typical of fall days is excellent for taking photos, the mushrooms seem to glow. Thought I'd share some of my photos.

[Dollythehun]

Beautifully done. Just exquisite. Thank you for posting.

[MrHappyRotter]

I see some edibles in there! Still trying to learn more about mushrooms, they're fascinating life forms. Do you have IDs on them?

[Pattywack]

Very nice Camille! I find mushrooms to be fascinating as well. You have captured these perfectly, thanks for sharing.

[Dollythehun]

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

I see some edibles in there! Still trying to learn more about mushrooms, they're fascinating life forms. Do you have IDs on them?

I saw one at least. I was wondering the same.

[rbarata]

I always liked mushrooms photos...and to eat them too (the mushrooms, not the photos)

Here, a lot of people collect them in the woods and everyyear someone goes to the hospital with some fatalities.

Do you collect them, Camille?

[Subrosa]

Nice pics! I've always been jealous of Europe's bright red A. muscaria. Ours are a drab orangey yellow in comparison.

[camille1585]

Glad you enjoy the photos

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

I see some edibles in there! Still trying to learn more about mushrooms, they're fascinating life forms. Do you have IDs on them?

I have no idea about the names for most of them. Photos 1 and 5 are Boletus of some sort, and the red one of course is Amanita muscaria. The diversity of mushrooms is overwhelming, IDing them would be a huge job! A professor at the university of the town where I live has counted on campus alone over 150 different species.

Originally Posted by rbarata

I always liked mushrooms photos...and to eat them too (the mushrooms, not the photos)

Here, a lot of people collect them in the woods and everyyear someone goes to the hospital with some fatalities.

Do you collect them, Camille?

No, I don't collect them. For one, I learned to recognize a few edible species from friends in France, and since I don't know what sort of dangerous look-alike species exist in the Netherlands, I don't dare pick anything. The other reason is that picking mushrooms is illegal. Most of the forests where they can be found are protected nature areas, and picking of anything (berries, nuts, mushrooms) isn't allowed. The Netherlands is so densely populated that if they allowed it, the forests would be picked clean with nothing left for the fauna or simply to look at.

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Nice pics! I've always been jealous of Europe's bright red A. muscaria. Ours are a drab orangey yellow in comparison.

Is it also A. muscaria in the US or a related species? They grow under oaks, and in the large courtyard of the building complex I live in there is a cluster of oaks, and about 100 Amanita grow there every fall. I'm down there quite often taking photos.

[DeaC]

Your orchid fotos always get my attention but it's the world down under that most of us don't see or can appreciate without your skills.TY for sharing.

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Is it also A. muscaria in the US or a related species?

There are red color forms of A. muscaria in the USA, but in a large swath of the country other varieties such as Amanita muscaria var. guessowii are more predominant.

Amanita muscaria contains some compounds that can cause symptoms of drunkenness, dissociation, and/or extreme nausea but which isn't typically dangerous. However, if cooked properly (to remove the psychoactive chemicals), they're very tasty.