Planet Fungi: A Photographer's Foray

A feast for the eyes from pioneering photographer Stephen Axford--whose breathtaking fungi photography has appeared on Netflix, the BBC, and National Geographic--exploring a hidden kingdom in stunning full color.

"A stunning exploration of a hidden world." --Merlin Sheldrake, author of Entangled Life

It was a chance encounter with a purple mushroom that changed photographer Stephen Axford's view of the world. He became obsessed with documenting the largely unexplored kingdom of fungi, traveling with his partner, Catherine Marciniak, to capture its beauty in some of the most remote regions on Earth.

This book showcases rarely seen species in full-color brilliance--from bioluminescent mushrooms and intricate lichen to bizarre, previously undiscovered forms of fungi. Planet Fungi features:

• Some of the most fascinating fungi photos ever taken
• Species from around the world, including North America
• Explorations featured on Netflix, the BBC, and National Geographic, with millions of views on YouTube
• A stunning coffee-table book for nature lovers

Step into the forest and discover a hidden kingdom that will change the way you view the natural world.

Author: Stephen Axford,Catherine Marciniak,Tom May
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Published: 09/08/2026
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 3.77lbs
Size: 11.26h x 9.49w x 1.03d
ISBN: 9798881611668

About the Author
Stephen Axford has worn many hats in his life, from the hard hat of a miner to the corporate hat of a computer systems designer, and now the pioneering hat of the fungi hunter. He is renowned worldwide for his expertise in macro fungi field photography, with his exquisite images featured in hundreds of publications, books, and exhibitions globally. His time-lapses of fungi growing are showcased in award-winning science documentaries including "Planet Earth 2," "The Kingdom: how fungi made the world," "Fantastic Fungi," "Hostile Planet," "Follow the Rain" and the IMAX documentary "FUNGI - web of life." He is the presenter and co-writer of Planet Fungi's video productions. Stephen captures the intricate beauty of fungi in remote forests worldwide, showcasing nature's marvels through his lens.

Catherine Marciniak was raised in the Blue Mountains in Australia. The forest has always been her sanctuary, nurturing an enduring love of nature. She is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, photographer and journalist. In a career spanning four decades she has produced over 80 hours of television, multi-screen exhibitions, and hundreds of digital articles covering a wide range of topics. She co-wrote the iMax documentary "FUNGI - web of life" and directed, wrote, and filmed "Follow the Rain," a magical journey into the weird and wonderful world of fungi. In her role as a Features Reporter with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Catherine was a two-time finalist in the Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism.

Dr. Tom May, scientific advisor to the book, has worked as a mycologist at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia, for almost three decades. Tom has combined a distinguished research career with a passion for communicating and educating about fungi. He has held many roles in professional and citizen science organisations, including the inaugural President of Fungimap. Tom has published widely in scientific and popular journals, co-authoring FunKey, an interactive key to mushroom genera, and the book Wild Mushrooming in Australia. His contributions to science and citizen science have been recognised with the Nancy T. Burbidge Medal, honouring those who have made a longstanding and significant contribution to Australasian systematic botany, and the Australian Natural History Medallion.