Autumn’s Gentle Guardians

This image marks my first mushroom photograph of the autumn season — a small cluster growing from damp bark, softly lit by the early morning light filtering through the forest canopy.

To capture it, I used a Canon R5 paired with a Canon 100mm Macro lens and a micrometric focusing rail to create a precise focus stacking sequence. The rail allowed me to “travel” through the entire group of mushrooms, ensuring every delicate detail remained crisp while maintaining a shallow depth of field for a smooth, creamy bokeh.

I wanted the background to melt into a soft blur of forest tones — greens, browns, and golden light — isolating the mushrooms and emphasizing their fragile forms. To enhance the ambient light without breaking its natural mood, I subtly introduced an Ulanzi light bar, balancing its intensity so it blended seamlessly with the existing illumination.

Canon R5 MK I
Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro IS USM
Irix Revo CPL
67 Shots Stacking
ISO 800 - F4 - 1/50s
Artcise AS80C Tripod + Artcise UB40 Ball Head
Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW II