Bored Panda reached out to Jay to learn more about him and his creative process. Reflecting on the start of his photographic journey, the artist shared that he first began noticing mushrooms while working as a gardener. As he expanded his knowledge of plants and their names, he realized how little he knew about fungi. "I tried taking photos with an old iPhone 6 and made the jump to a macro setup after about a year."
Since his subjects are quite small, we asked Jay how he finds them. The photographer explained that it requires a lot of searching. "Finding tiny mushrooms takes time and patience. You really have to look for them. I spend a lot of my time scrambling around on the ground, looking over bits of rotten wood and leaf litter. Stuff that you would just walk past usually."
When asked about a particular mushroom species he enjoys photographing the most or one that stands out, Jay shared that Gliophorus are always a great choice due to their gooeyness and vibrant colors. "Species of Mycena are varied and also incredibly tiny if you catch them early. Slime molds are always fun, too."
Jay hopes his photographs will draw attention to the incredible beauty that people often overlook in their daily lives. "Most people I speak with are completely unaware of this insanely diverse kingdom that lives everywhere around us all the time. Awareness is the main thing I hope people can take away!"
