However, I must admit that here in Minnesota when the month of May comes around I don’t always follow this rule. This is the time of year that our state fungi the Morel Mushroom begin to appear in the hardwood forests. So if you happen to see me on certain trails, I will have my photo gear, but also my cloth bag and pocket knife to hopefully collect some morels for the supper table. When locating morels I will take photos if I can locate a cluster with some interesting composition, then I will take my pocket knife and cut the morel as close to the ground as possible. In all of the state parks and other public areas I go to it is permissible to collect morel mushrooms for personal consumption. However, if you go to an area that you are not sure if this practice is acceptable, be sure to ask for permission.

Morel mushrooms will grow in many different types of habitat, but in the Midwest you are more likely to find them in hardwood forests. My favorite habitat is dead and decaying Oak and Elm trees. When I find an old fallen oak or elm that is really decayed I like to search the surrounding area being sure to look under leaves, branches, bark etc. I will look from 15’ to 20’ from the fallen tree. A simple rule that I follow is that if you find one be sure to keep looking because there generally will be more. Some years are better than others, but if it is a wet and warm April into early May it should be good Morel hunting season. I don’t really consider myself a dedicated morel hunter, but a photographer that happened to find a couple of spots that produce morels every year. But like all good dedicated morel hunters, those are secret spots that I tell very few individuals.

When photographing morels, I would recommend taking a close-up of the mushroom if it is in good condition.  If it is in interesting habitat be sure to include that also. Mushrooms will grow singular, but commonly they will be in clusters so possibly use a wide angle lens to include many in one composition. The color of morels can be from yellowish to black.  Most of the ones that I find are of the yellow variety so my exposure with matrix metering is generally at EV -1/3. But that may vary depending on your habitat. The image accompanying this article was photographed in May 2006.  I was very lucky to discover one mushroom in the creeping Charlie.  But on close investigation I found others that allowed me to capture this composition of “Morels in Creeping Charlie”.

Of course after taking the photograph look at your histogram to be sure the exposure is right on. Maybe take both horizontal and vertical compositions and after you are satisfied with your image; now take out the pocket knife cut the stem close to the ground and put the morel in a wire basket or cloth bag. One word of caution, morels are very easy identify, use any mushroom/fungi field guide to assist. But if you are not sure of species just take your photos and leave the mushroom for others to enjoy.

Good Shooting

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