Back Story:

This is the picture that started it all. It’s the first time I used my 100mm macro lens, the first time I attempted to light paint a fungus, and also the first time I took a shot that was focus stacked. The subject is a white Elfin Saddle (Helvella verspertina) that I came across while looking for morels. It is a rare form of the fungi, as they are usually dark gray or black in color, and fruit from fall through winter. I light painted it with a regular flashlight and also with a UV light to get the glow and the blueish hue. This shot is also the first time I won an award in a photography competition. This picture will forever be near and dear to me.