Light Among the Trees

Early in the morning, we hiked into the forest — soft light filtering through the leaves, the air filled with birdsong and the gentle rustle of wind. Our goal was simple yet ambitious: to capture the quiet elegance of mushrooms exactly where they grow, turning a patch of forest floor into a tiny studio.

Armed with a broncolor Satos 1600 powered by two batteries and three Picolites, we were able to bring studio precision into the wilderness. The compact setup allowed us to shape light precisely while keeping the natural atmosphere untouched.

The Mushroom Group

For the first shot, we photographed a small cluster of mushrooms growing together on a mossy trunk. To document the setup, we exposed each light individually.

• The main light was a Picolite with a narrow honeycomb grid, positioned from above and slightly angled away from the stem to achieve even brightness from top to bottom.
• A second Picolite with a Fresnel spot acted as a backlight, separating the trunk from the background with a crisp rim of light.
• To gently lift the foreground without flattening the contrast, we used a Picobox, tilted sharply toward the camera to create a subtle, reflected fill.

This three-light arrangement brought texture, depth, and a natural glow to the scene — as if the forest itself had lent us its light.

A Single Subject

Next, we turned our attention to a solitary mushroom — no larger than five centimeters, yet beautifully formed. The mood was to remain consistent with the group photo: organic, soft, and painterly.

The main light was again a Picolite with a narrow grid, this time combined with the small aperture plate and positioned as a slight backlight to reveal the curves of the cap. To add a touch of atmosphere, we placed a few pine needles into the light path, creating a gentle play of light and shadow.

The Fresnel spot softly illuminated the stem’s left side, while a third Picolite with a projection attachment provided a faint backlight from below, subtly reflecting onto the stem and shaping a graceful contour.

The Result

Both shots were taken with a full-frame mirrorless camera and a 105 mm macro lens at ISO 64.

• The group image: f/8 at 1/4 s
• The single mushroom: f/11 at 1/3 s

The outcome blends the precision of studio lighting with the serenity of nature — proving that with the right tools and a creative eye, even a quiet forest floor can become a stage for beauty and light.