#59: Alison Pollack - Finding and Photographing Slime Molds

Slime molds (Myxomycetes) are beautiful, weird, and amazing organisms. Often mistaken for fungi, they are actually single celled, yet they grow and efficiently move in search of food, can start and stop their life cycle based on environmental conditions, and even change colors several times during their brief life. They can be beautifully colored, frequently iridescent, and can be ornately shaped. And better still, they can be found in much of the world - maybe even in your yard.

My guest today, Alison Pollack, is a renowned slime mold photographer and unabashed enthusiast of slime molds and their habitats. If you follow nature photographers on Instagram, perhaps you count yourself as one of her 50,000 followers.

Today Alison tells us what a slime mold is - and no, it is not a mold or fungi. She describes a typical lifecycle, where they grow, and how to find them.

Alison then tells us about her astonishing macro photography of slime molds - both in the field and in her home studio. She walks through her process, technique, and equipment she uses to create her acclaimed photos. If you do nothing else, follow her on Instagram @marin_mushrooms, or check the photos below to get a hint of the beauty of the slime molds, and Alison's artistic skill in capturing them.

Find Alison on Facebook, and on iNaturalist.

FULL SHOW NOTES

People, Groups, Organizations
Alison's interview with Allan Walls and Rik Littlefield
The Art of Mushroom Photography - Madeline Island School of the Arts photography class Alison co-taught with Alan Rockefeller
Damon Tighe - Episode 36 talking Fungi
Nikon Small World 2022 Winners
Slime Mold Identification and Appreciation - Facebook Group

Books, Camera Equipment, and More
links may be affiliate links
All the Rain Promises and More by David Arora
Laowa ultra macro lens - there are models for each major camera manufacturer.
Les Myxomycètes
Myxomycetes - A Handbook of Slime Molds by Steven Stephenson
NOVA Slime Mold episode
Olympus Tough TG-6 - highly recommended pocket camera for naturalists
Raynox DCR-250
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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

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