If you’ve ever strolled through the woods, particularly after a rainfall, chances are you’ve unknowingly passed by one of Alison Pollack’s intriguing subjects. You might have even unintentionally trodden upon one. Yet, without the aid of a magnifying glass, their existence likely remained a mystery to you.

Alison Pollack specializes in capturing the minute and inconspicuous organisms that evade the untrained eye and require a microscope for proper observation. Based in California, Pollack meticulously documents the tiny fungi that emerge from leaves and fragments of bark using an extreme macro lens.

Through her lens, she unveils the seldom-seen iridescent speckles, subtle pockmarks, and delicate feathered tissues that adorn these organisms’ fruiting bodies. She shares, ‘My aim is to introduce people to the world of tiny mushrooms and slime molds they might otherwise overlook, or may never have even heard of. I also strive to reveal the exquisite intricate details present in these organisms.’

While her earlier images showcased the fleshy fungi with remarkable detail, Pollack has dedicated the past two years to drawing even closer to her subjects often less than a millimeter tall by employing a microscope lens that magnifies her discoveries up to 20 times their actual size. The resulting images meticulously document the smallest features, such as individual spores, the intricate web-like structure enveloping them, and the unique texture and coloration of each organism.

You can find Alison Pollack on the web:

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