Autumn has always held a special place in my heart. There’s something enchanting about those suspended moments when the light filters through the trees, casting a magical glow over everything it touches.

The undergrowth behind my house transforms into a mystical realm, a place where one might expect to encounter elves and fairies.

This is where I meet some of my favorite beings: mushrooms—the true magicians of life. Without them, trees wouldn’t thrive, forests wouldn’t flourish, and humans wouldn’t exist as we do today. These “magic hats” are merely the visible part of an immense underground network—a complex web of intimate connections between multiple forms of life, both plant and animal.

In this fascinating, hyperconnected world, organisms live in symbiosis, allowing life to express itself in infinite forms and adapt to external circumstances in incredible and creative ways. This world invites us to perceive reality differently, encouraging us to step away from pre-established thought patterns that limit our understanding.

Scientists are only beginning to comprehend the extraordinary mechanisms that drive the life surrounding us—a life that also thrives within us. Yes, the human body contains millions of these organisms essential for maintaining our health. Nature has so much to teach us; all we need to do is listen. So let’s venture together to meet some of these magic hats and let our imaginations delve into the underground world they inhabit.

Embracing the Magical Atmosphere of the Forest

I set off on foot or by bike, carrying minimal equipment: my Fujifilm X-T5 camera, a Fujifilm XF80mm F2.8 macro lens, and a spare battery. That’s all. I prefer to move freely, immersing myself in the hushed atmosphere of the undergrowth and enjoying these moments of reconnection with Mother Nature. My photographs are taken handheld in natural light, embracing both the advantages and challenges of this approach.

I’ll never forget the curious roe deer that watched me, barely concealed by a shrub, as I photographed a splendid fly agaric mushroom bathed in sunlight. Moments like these remind me of the profound interconnectedness of all living things. As some scholars suggest, fungi play a crucial role in shaping our world. They make and unmake ecosystems, intertwining their existence with ours in ways we are only beginning to understand. If we’re alive, we’re already part of their vast network. [Official Website]

“Fungi make worlds. They also unmake them. There are lots of ways to catch them in the act. When you cook mushroom soup, or just eat it. When you go out gathering mushrooms, or buy them. When you ferment alcohol, plant a plant, or just bury your hands in the soil; and whether you let a fungus into your mind, or marvel at the way that it might enter the mind of another. Whether you’re cured by a fungus, or watch it cure someone else; whether you build your home from fungi, or start growing mushrooms in your home, fungi will catch you in the act. If you’re alive, they already have.”

― Merlin Sheldrake, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures