The new CABI-published book Planet Fungi: A Photographer’s Foray has been described as a ‘feast for the eyes’ with hundreds of beautiful images of weird and wonderful fungi captured in sharp focus from around the world.

Created by an award-winning team of documentary filmmaker, photographer and mycologist, well-known for their work with Sir David Attenborough documentaries and those broadcast on Netflix and National Geographic channel, the book captures the beauty and diversity of mushrooms in some of the most remote regions on earth.

It is a unique and immersive exploration of fungi, with each picture created from multiple images seamlessly merged into a single frame. Planet Fungi: A Photographer's Foray presents stunning imagery and pioneering explorations that reveal the intricacies of fungal biology and their ecological significance.

Book is partly born from confrontation with mortality

The book is partly born from Stephen Axford’s confrontation with mortality – when his wife of 13 years Pat Flannagan died of breast cancer – sparked his passion for fungi. This passion is shared by co-author and Axford’s partner Catherine Marciniak who helps capture the fungi with third author Dr Tom May.

Axford himself also discovered he had a life-threatening illness.

“This helped me to rethink my life. I was ready to take some risks, to reinvent myself,” he said.

It was a chance encounter in the forest with a purple mushroom that completely changed photographer Axford's view of the world. He became obsessed with documenting the largely unexplored kingdom of fungi, alongside Marciniak.

There are an estimated 2-5 million species of fungi found all over the world, yet with only around 155,000 described so far, there is so much left to discover. From glowing mushrooms in ancient forests to bizarre, alien-like forms, these extraordinary organisms will challenge how you see the natural world.

A stunning exploration of a hidden world

The book is aimed at researchers in mycology, plant science, ecology and the environment, as well as amateur mycologists, fungi enthusiasts, field naturalists, photographers, hikers, citizen scientists, and anyone interested in the natural world.

Merlin Sheldrake, author of 'Entangled Life' said of the book, “A stunning exploration of a hidden world. These are among the most remarkable images of fungi I’ve ever seen, woven into relation by a series of writings that beautifully illuminate the mysteries and wonders of fungal life.”
Giuliana Furci, Founding Director of Fungi Foundation, said, “A wondrous journey through epic fungal encounters, with sublime photography and beautiful tales.”

Renowned for his macro fungi photography

Stephen Axford is renowned for his macro fungi photography, which has been featured in publications and exhibitions worldwide. His fungi time-lapses appear in award-winning documentaries such as Planet Earth 2, Fantastic Fungi and Fungi: Web of Life. He co-writes and presents Planet Fungi's video productions, including Follow the Rain, capturing the intricate beauty of fungi globally.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker, photographer and journalist

Catherine Marciniak is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, photographer and journalist. She co-wrote the IMAX documentary Fungi: Web of Life and directed and co-produced Follow the Rain, exploring the world of fungi. She is also a two-time finalist in the Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

Passion for communicating and educating about fungi

Dr Tom May is a mycologist at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Australia, where for nearly three decades he has had a distinguished research career and a passion for communicating and educating about fungi. Former President of Fungimap, he co-authored Wild Mushrooming: A Guide for Foragers and was awarded the Nancy T. Burbidge Medal and the Australian Natural History Medallion.