Smoking Mushroom
Before / After
Explanation
I spent roughly an hour and a half experimenting with this puffball, and one of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to photograph the spores without sacrificing the detail in the mushroom itself.
The spores were moving quickly and unpredictably, so I needed an extremely fast shutter speed to freeze them. But that approach wasn't ideal for capturing all the texture and depth of the puffball.
I decided to treat them as two separate subjects. First, I concentrated on freezing the spores. Then I selected a nearly symmetrical puffball and took my time building the lighting around it.
The final image is a combination of those two approaches, with each photographed using the settings that made the most sense.
The spores were moving quickly and unpredictably, so I needed an extremely fast shutter speed to freeze them. But that approach wasn't ideal for capturing all the texture and depth of the puffball.
I decided to treat them as two separate subjects. First, I concentrated on freezing the spores. Then I selected a nearly symmetrical puffball and took my time building the lighting around it.
The final image is a combination of those two approaches, with each photographed using the settings that made the most sense.
Gear Used
– Canon R5
– Canon RF 100mm Macro
– amaran Ace 25c (x2)
– Adaptalux Flexible LED Light
– Benro Tripod
– Small stick (to release the spores)
– Canon RF 100mm Macro
– amaran Ace 25c (x2)
– Adaptalux Flexible LED Light
– Benro Tripod
– Small stick (to release the spores)
Settings
CAMERA: Canon EOS R5
LENS: Canon RF 100mm Macro
FOCAL LENGTH: 100mm
SPORE CAPTURE
Shutter Speed: 1/5000 sec
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 6400
Shooting Mode: Manual exposure, continuous burst
PUFFBALL CAPTURE
Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 400
Shooting Mode: Manual exposure
Focus Stacking: 50 images
LIGHTING: Continuous white LED lighting
POST-PROCESSING: Focus stacking and image compositing in Photoshop
LENS: Canon RF 100mm Macro
FOCAL LENGTH: 100mm
SPORE CAPTURE
Shutter Speed: 1/5000 sec
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 6400
Shooting Mode: Manual exposure, continuous burst
PUFFBALL CAPTURE
Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 400
Shooting Mode: Manual exposure
Focus Stacking: 50 images
LIGHTING: Continuous white LED lighting
POST-PROCESSING: Focus stacking and image compositing in Photoshop
Breakdown
1. Freezing the Spores
I started with a single light panel at full power, illuminating the spores from the side. With the shutter speed set to 1/5000 sec, I could freeze individual particles that would otherwise appear as motion blur.
I also used f/10 to increase the depth of field. With so many spores moving through different distances from the camera, shooting wide open would have left a much smaller area in focus.
The compromise was ISO 6400, but capturing the movement was more important than keeping the ISO low.
Using a small stick to trigger the puffball's spore release, I photographed hundreds of frames in burst mode. This gave me different shapes and patterns to choose from later.
2. Creating Separation — Light #2
Once I had captured the spores, I selected the puffball I wanted to use for the final photograph.
I started by positioning an amaran Ace 25c behind and to the right of the mushroom.
Rather than illuminating the entire subject from the front, I wanted light to catch its outer edge. This created a bright outline that separated the brown puffball from the dark background while revealing its rounded shape.
3. Defining the Opposite Edge — Light #3
Next, I positioned the Adaptalux Flexible LED low on the opposite side.
Its purpose was to create additional edge definition without brightening the entire scene.
The height of this light was particularly important. Placing it too high would have illuminated more of the foreground vegetation, drawing attention away from the mushroom.
Keeping it low helped preserve the dark environment while still revealing the puffball's shape.
4. Controlling the Fill — Light #4
The final light was a second amaran Ace 25c, used to bring detail into the darker areas of the mushroom.
However, I didn't want that light spreading across the foreground. I partially covered the panel with tape to block the unwanted spill.
This allowed me to brighten the puffball more selectively while keeping the surrounding scene relatively dark.
The goal wasn't to illuminate everything evenly. It was to reveal enough texture and shape while preserving the shadows that give the photograph its depth.
5. Focus Stacking the Puffball
With the lighting established, I photographed the stationary puffball using 50 images at f/3.5, 1/160 sec, and ISO 400.
Using a wider aperture allowed me to work with a lower ISO, while focus stacking provided the sharpness that a single exposure at f/3.5 couldn't achieve across the entire mushroom.
The resulting stack became the foundation of the final photograph.
6. Bringing Everything Together
In post-processing, I combined the stacked puffball with one of my preferred spore photographs.
The most important part was positioning the spores so they appeared to emerge naturally from the opening at the top of the mushroom.
Because the two elements were photographed separately, I could choose the best expression of the spores without compromising the lighting or sharpness of the puffball.
I started with a single light panel at full power, illuminating the spores from the side. With the shutter speed set to 1/5000 sec, I could freeze individual particles that would otherwise appear as motion blur.
I also used f/10 to increase the depth of field. With so many spores moving through different distances from the camera, shooting wide open would have left a much smaller area in focus.
The compromise was ISO 6400, but capturing the movement was more important than keeping the ISO low.
Using a small stick to trigger the puffball's spore release, I photographed hundreds of frames in burst mode. This gave me different shapes and patterns to choose from later.
2. Creating Separation — Light #2
Once I had captured the spores, I selected the puffball I wanted to use for the final photograph.
I started by positioning an amaran Ace 25c behind and to the right of the mushroom.
Rather than illuminating the entire subject from the front, I wanted light to catch its outer edge. This created a bright outline that separated the brown puffball from the dark background while revealing its rounded shape.
3. Defining the Opposite Edge — Light #3
Next, I positioned the Adaptalux Flexible LED low on the opposite side.
Its purpose was to create additional edge definition without brightening the entire scene.
The height of this light was particularly important. Placing it too high would have illuminated more of the foreground vegetation, drawing attention away from the mushroom.
Keeping it low helped preserve the dark environment while still revealing the puffball's shape.
4. Controlling the Fill — Light #4
The final light was a second amaran Ace 25c, used to bring detail into the darker areas of the mushroom.
However, I didn't want that light spreading across the foreground. I partially covered the panel with tape to block the unwanted spill.
This allowed me to brighten the puffball more selectively while keeping the surrounding scene relatively dark.
The goal wasn't to illuminate everything evenly. It was to reveal enough texture and shape while preserving the shadows that give the photograph its depth.
5. Focus Stacking the Puffball
With the lighting established, I photographed the stationary puffball using 50 images at f/3.5, 1/160 sec, and ISO 400.
Using a wider aperture allowed me to work with a lower ISO, while focus stacking provided the sharpness that a single exposure at f/3.5 couldn't achieve across the entire mushroom.
The resulting stack became the foundation of the final photograph.
6. Bringing Everything Together
In post-processing, I combined the stacked puffball with one of my preferred spore photographs.
The most important part was positioning the spores so they appeared to emerge naturally from the opening at the top of the mushroom.
Because the two elements were photographed separately, I could choose the best expression of the spores without compromising the lighting or sharpness of the puffball.
Quick Tip
When lighting a small subject, pay as much attention to where the light falls outside your subject as you do to the subject itself.
A slight change in height, angle, or a small piece of tape blocking part of a light can make a significant difference.
Before adding another light, look at what you can remove from the scene. Sometimes the most effective lighting adjustment is simply preventing unwanted illumination.
A slight change in height, angle, or a small piece of tape blocking part of a light can make a significant difference.
Before adding another light, look at what you can remove from the scene. Sometimes the most effective lighting adjustment is simply preventing unwanted illumination.
Final Thoughts
What I enjoy about projects like this is that they force me to approach a familiar subject differently.
A tiny puffball might not look particularly interesting at first, but once you start experimenting with light, movement, and perspective, there's an entirely different world to explore.
This photograph wasn't about finding the perfect conditions. It was about creating them, one decision at a time.
A tiny puffball might not look particularly interesting at first, but once you start experimenting with light, movement, and perspective, there's an entirely different world to explore.
This photograph wasn't about finding the perfect conditions. It was about creating them, one decision at a time.
