It was during the height of the epidemic the photographer Adam Whyte decided to move back in New York. Prior to the move, they briefly moved from Los Angeles, taking “respite from the bustle and craziness in New York” and spending the majority of their time in National parks and the wilderness of The West Coast. When they returned to home, Adam was keen not to allow his “huge fascination, or perhaps romanticism” with nature be dispelled. Therefore, he took on the goal of constantly escaping the city and embracing the outdoors on the East Coast.
Their first trek took place within the Hudson Valley after heavy rainfall that allowed the mycological world of the region to thrive. Prior to this, being “completely in the dark” regarding mushrooms Adam became overwhelmed by the huge assortment of fungi available; “fruiting mushrooms of all shapes, colors and dimensions”. Then, diving into the studies and reading about the fungi – “from Louise Schwartzberg’s Fantastic Fungi to John Cage’s A Mycological Foray, the New York Mycological Society to online forums for mushrooms” – Adam quickly became enthralled in exploring the world of mushrooms. Of course, as an imaginative photographer taking pictures of their new hobby was the natural next step.
In deciding the aesthetics of the series, Adam says that he “wanted to capture these quirky people in their authentic surroundings”. So, he decided against the idea of using the studio. However many of the images in the book do not make lighting of natural light, rather opting for a vibrant and overexposed look: “I opted to use various methods of artificial lighting in the images in order to create a setting that was as bizarre as the subjects themselves” Adam details. However, this isn’t only an aesthetic one, but also an underlying one as well in that Adam also wanted to emphasize the fact that “mushrooms do not photosynthesise or depend upon sunlight.”
This specific method of lighting was the basis for one of Adam’s most cherished photographs from the series, untitled (Russula Emetica). From one of Adam’s first hikes, this stunning photo shows the mushroom from an upwards angle, its stark white body, topped by a red hat with its gills sharp and sharp with the bright flash. an enormous droplet of water was illuminated. “Exploring different kinds of mushrooms as well as methods to capture them started to feel like the way photographers would experiment with creating light in the studio to get the perfect image of their subject sitting,” they expand.
After posting several of the photos on social media, Jordan Vouga of Well Advised Studio and fellow enthusiast of fungi – contacted to Adam to ask whether he would be interested in creating an upcoming book. “We collaborated on putting an e-book that felt more like a guide to the field about the various species of mushrooms rather than an amalgamation of a field book as well as an art book,” Adam details. “We wanted to convey the fascination and enthralling nature of mushrooms, the scientific aspects of mycology, and fine art photography an environment in which they could coexist and complement each with each other.” The publication is formatted and sized to fit the photos in a variety of ways, including pairings with mushrooms, and occasionally offering large-sized spreads that are particularly stunning photographs of landscapes. In the accompanying book, Adam explains, is not intended to constitute “a guide or a scientific report about the hunt”. It’s “a mycological excursion that gives an insight into forms that are beyond our comprehension and a variety of colours that go beyond the plain white buttons and creminis that are sold on supermarket shelves”.
In the hope that this series can spark fascination or curiosity among its readers, Adam summarises that the book will be “a tribute to the wonderful and magical world of fungi”. If you’re a long-time fungi admirer, a brand new enthusiast in the realm of fungi or haven’t considered the bizarre growths the book is certain to provide you with the ever-lasting beauty of nature.
