A Hidden World: Discovering the Beauty of New Zealand Fungi by Paula Vigus

Paula Vigus took the stunning full colour photographs for Liv Sisson’s hugely popular book Fungi of Aotearoa: A Curious Forager’s Guide, in which she introduced many of us to where to find, identify and use fungi.

Now in A Hidden World, Paula Vigus has again used her talent for macro photography to showcase the extraordinary diversity and beauty of many more fungi, a secret kingdom of tiny organisms, so tiny and difficult to find that they often go unnoticed.

Searching for fungi and photographing them has become a full-blown addiction for Paula Vigus, and she feels the dopamine flowing into her bloodstream with every new adventure. An addiction she has in common with many other fungi hunters who have become her good friends. You can find them sprawled on the ground with cameras on tripods, and lights and other little gadgets set up to get the shot in the bush.

I was astounded, as I perused her photographs to see how fungi come in such a multitude of forms, colours, and textures. And how intricate and exquisite many of them are like the elegant cluster of Mycena sp (gilled mushrooms) which features on the cover of her book. And the bright blue little elf cups which she spotted in an area of native bush near Reefton, growing on a log, and was able to photograph just as her 3-year-old grandson was about to sit down on them.

Then there are the somewhat gruesome black earth tongue fungi, the weird Artomyces fungi, which look like tiny alien arms reaching up from under a rotten log. And also, the curious beech strawberries, which look like strange, holey, yellow balls scattered over the ground under silver beech trees.

Occasionally, when taking photos of fungi, she has had the good fortune to discover a new fungi species, as happened when she was taking fungi photographs in Dansy Road Reserve near Mamaku in the Bay of Plenty. At the time, she had no idea it hadn’t been formally recorded before.

For those keen to start photographing fungi, she has included a chapter on how to take photos of fungi. One of the best ways she found is to observe other fungi photographers online or in person.

She has some excellent advice on what kind of gear to use, e.g., a mobile phone with a good camera can yield very good results, and some models can even have a macro lens attached. There is also information on focus stacking and bracketing. And while natural light can be used, because the bush is often dense and dark, or the light is uneven or dappled, she uses LED lights to avoid harsh shadows and reflections.

Fungi play a crucial role in our ecosystems, primarily as decomposers of organic matter, breaking down dead plant materials and returning essential nutrients to the soil. Through sharing her beautiful photographs of fungi, she aims to raise awareness of just how special our fungal species are, of their ecological significance, and the importance of encouraging conservation efforts to preserve their habitats.

The publishers, Potton & Burton, have always had a strong focus on natural history and the environment, and they are to be congratulated on such a beautifully produced book which would make a very special gift for all nature lovers.

Reviewer: Lyn Potter

Potton & Burton