Photography Tips for Mushroom Identification — Central Texas Mycological Society

Now that most of us carry camera phones, it’s a great idea to capture the mushrooms you see in the wild that want to identify. Here are some tips for taking photos so that you can share them with experts online. There are several Facebook identification groups including Texas Mushroom Identification and Mushroom Identification Forum. If you are not in Texas, check your area for a group. Additionally, you can upload your photos to the Mushroom of Texas project on iNaturalist to get help with identification. Here are some photos and tips by Jeremy Even Flint to help increase your chances of getting a positive identification.

1: TAKE Clear and detailed shots of the top of the cap.

2. TAKE PictureS of the pore surface with the stem attached.

3. TAKE PictureS of the mushrooms undisturbed in their natural environment. What kind of trees and plants are around? If it’s growing from wood, what kind?

4. TAKE Pictures of a cross-section, also note any staining that occurs when the mushroom is damaged.

5. TAKE Pictures of the entire mushroom, including the base ( Especially important in Amanita sp.)

6. INCLUDE Other important information when asking for identification help INCLUDING: Time/Date, Location, Smell, What is it growing from? Wood, soil, grass, leaf litter, sand, mulch.