Agorastos Papatsanis's Image

Agorastos Papatsanis (Greece) reveals the magic of a fungus releasing its spores in the forest.

Long fascinated by fungi, Agorastos headed into the forest in search of his muse despite the rain. Using his silver photographic umbrella to stop his camera getting wet, he covered his carefully positioned flash with a plastic bag. The colourful touches coming from refraction of the light passing through the spore-laden air and rain.

Kathy Moran, Editor and Chair of the Jury, was captivated by ‘this fairytale scene’ remarking, ‘the viewer is transported to the forest floor where mushrooms and leaves loom large while the subtle lighting and escaping spores create a sense of being caught in a storm. There’s a majesty and a menace to a mushroom when seen from this angle.’

The mushroom’s main parasol was about 15 centimetres high, but they can grow to double this. On a dark, damp day, a parasol mushroom will release its spores from the gills under its cap, dispersing the next generation throughout the forest. Billions of tiny spores travel, usually unseen, in the air currents. With luck, some will land where there’s moisture and food, enabling them to germinate and grow networks of fine hyphae that spread beneath the forest floor.