Name: J Fritz Rumpf
Picture title: Fields of Dreams
Category: Nature Art
Nationality: Born in Venezuela, now live in the USA (moved here 42 years ago)
Occupation: I am a full-time photographer
Technical information
Camera: Nikon D850
Lens: Nikko 105 Prime
EXIF: 1/13 sec, f/11, ISO100
Accessories: Tripod, used the back of my camera as a background while in the forest.
HIGHLY COMMENDED CATEGORY NATURE ART
J Fritz Rumpf | Fields of Dreams
Name: J Fritz Rumpf
Picture title: Fields of Dreams
Category: Nature Art
Nationality: Born in Venezuela, now live in the USA (moved here 42 years ago)
Occupation: I am a full-time photographer
Technical information
Camera: Nikon D850
Lens: Nikko 105 Prime
EXIF: 1/13 sec, f/11, ISO100
Accessories: Tripod, used the back of my camera as a background while in the forest.
J Fritz Rumpf says:
On one of my first wild mushroom foraging outings, in the White Mountains of Arizona, USA, I went with a friend who taught me how to identify two types of edible mushrooms (Boletes and Caesars), I walked by this mushroom who was lying upside down on the ground. The stunningly vibrant colors of the gills caught my attention. I proceeded to set up my tripod, and using my photo backpack as a base, took several photo stacks, using the beautiful natural soft forest light.
Once I got home and processed the photo stacks, I chose this resulting image and proceeded to crop it in a way where it was not immediately obvious what the subject was. As far as I remember, not a single person guessed that this was the image of the underside of a mushroom. It was interesting what people saw in this image: some likened it to waves crashing onto a cliff, others thought of rays radiating off of a distant planet, a desert landscape of furrowed canyons, and my favorite, an underwater scene in the ocean. In the process of identifying the mushroom, I found that the blue/green color might indicate the presence of psilocybin or psilocin, chemical compounds found in psychedelic mushrooms, hence the name; “Fields of Dreams”. In the end, the overwhelming consensus was that this beautiful fungi was part of the Lactarius, or Milk Cap, family.
The big lesson I learned through this image, is to slow down in nature, and not only take in its beautiful grand vistas but look for and appreciate all the small gems hidden within. So much beauty we often simply walk by, without appreciating all the small marvels created by Mother Nature.
This is a photo stack of 19 images, using the back of my photo backpack as a base, and making use of the stunning, soft forest light. (I honestly don’t remember, but I might have used the cellphone flashlight to accentuate the colors ever so slightly).
J Fritz Rumpf
Venezuela/ USA
Ever since childhood, I remember taking photos, back then primarily of my many pets. During my adult years, life came in the way, and photography took a back seat. About nine years ago, I started to spend more time on photography, slowly purchasing new and better equipment. An avid traveler, I have had the privilege to travel to all seven continents, and have had the opportunity to photograph unique landscapes, and wildlife, as well as candid shots of people all over this beautiful planet we are lucky to inhabit. I had two previous careers, both in the artistic/creative fields. Three years ago, in large part due to the aftermath of COVID, I decided to retire from my last career and take on photography full-time. Living in the beautiful state of Arizona, USA, allows me to travel to many wonderful locations, easily reached within a day’s drive, such as the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, the breathtaking states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and my favorite place to photograph, Death Valley, California.
I like to find unique subjects and photograph them in a way that makes the viewer feel like they are right there, witnessing the scene. It is nice when my work does well commercially, or at photo contests, but the most satisfaction I get is when a person tells me that one of my images transported them to a different place, showing them a natural beauty they otherwise would not have seen. Sharing the beauty of this amazing world….. how much luckier can one be!