Photographing fungi provides an opportunity to practice skills. Light levels are often low and use of a tripod is needed. A photographer must work to get good images.
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Fungi and decay.

Angels Bonnets.
In late February, dead branches on woodland floors have Elf Cup fungi attached.The intense red cups are often missed.
Extremely poisonous Amanita virosa (Destroying Angel) is rare in N.Ireland
Much photographed Fly Agarics (Amanita muscaria) can be found under birches in October.
The most poisonous fungus ‘Death Cap’ (Amanita phalloides) is found sparingly in Loughry Estate on limestone.
Sessile Earthstar (Geastrum sessile) rare in N.I. but grows in woods at Loughry
Well named ‘The Prince’.
The beautiful Agaricus augustus is also good to eat.
The flesh of Amanita rubescens (The Blusher) goes pink-brown on cutting or bruising.
Common puffballs, when freshly emerged -good to eat.
Mycenae fungi have caps like little bonnets
Alueria aurentia,a fungus with spectacular orange cups
The elegant Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva) is fairly common.
The caps of Laccaria amethystina-at first a beautiful deep purple lighten in colour as the caps age.
A slide from years ago. Slime Cap (Limacella guttata) found occasionally in Loughry woods. Geoffrey Kibby-mushroom expert used the photo in ‘The Mycologist’ , he had seldom seen the fungus.
© 2014
In Springhill,Moneymore,an old stump with a collar of Sulphur tuft fungi,just invited photography.
Wander around gardens and old buildings at Lissan House and sense a place frozen in time, full of ghosts and decay. Imagine sounds and activities from a time long past. Horse-drawn carts rumbling along with hay or corn or sacks of potatoes. A horsedrawn carriage stopping in front of the house? the echoes of time are still there- in some other dimension. The paddle-wheel at one time generated electricity for Lissan House. Water flowing over the submerged paddles turned a generator.
The Gardener’s House
Old cart.
Old doorway in ‘The Sperrins. Count coats of paint, and imagine the hands applying each layer of paint.
Water powered paddle-wheel
An old cottage on Lissan estate shows the ravages of time
House near Slate Quarry, Pomeroy-across the road from the ruins of the corn mill