In this five-day photography workshop, you’ll learn from two well-known and highly experienced photographers how to create beautiful images of mushrooms, slime molds (myxos), and the organisms that surround them. Each day will include morning presentations, followed by a full afternoon of guided practice in the field. In the evenings, students will have the opportunity for one-on-one instruction.

 Classroom presentations will cover:

• Gear for mushroom photography
• Selecting subjects to photograph and preparing the scene
• Basics of exposure and lighting
• Focus stacking
• Wide-angle macro to illustrate organisms in their habitat
• Post-processing techniques, tips, and tricks
• Image review and critique

Experience level: Photographers of all levels, from beginner to advanced will benefit from this class. Whether you’ve used your camera for a decade or just purchased it, individualized instruction will be provided at the level of experience of each student.

Instructors:

Alison Pollack

I specialize in macro photography of mushrooms and myxos (Myxomycetes, or slime molds).  I will show you how to find them in the woods, and how to create photos that are as much art as science.  Most of my photos are focus stacked, with a shallow depth of field to create a soft background.  I will provide full instruction, in both the classroom and the field, on how I create my photos from start to finish.  I will show you how to carefully select and set up backgrounds and lighting, how to do focus stacking, and the techniques that I use to post-process my photos on the computer.

Christian Schwarz

Although I focus my attention particularly through the lens of mushrooms, I am fascinated by interactions between all kinds of organisms. During this class, in addition to helping you with your photography, I’ll show you how to communicate ecological stories by starting with a central species and then using different photographic techniques to expand outwards and create rich, narrative images.  

Click below to view an informative webinar and Q & A with Alison and Christian: