Photograph mushrooms like a naturalist with Brittany on October 11th

October 11th

12:00 - 4:00 pm

Spend an afternoon photographing the coastal forest floor and learning about the wonderful world of mushrooms. Discover the sculptural forms, strange colors, and hidden ecological stories of fungi through the lens that you already carry: your smartphone! We will learn to make smartphone images that are visually compelling, scientifically useful, and rooted in the living landscape of the North Oregon Coast.

This four-hour workshop blends accessible smartphone macro photography, mushroom ecology, and iNaturalist documentation into a creative experience that is local, low-cost, and deeply connected to place. No fancy camera or prior mushroom knowledge required. Bring your curiosity, a charged smartphone, and the desire to slow down and look closely.

Mycologist and environmental educator Brittany Marcotte designed this smartphone workshop for all people who are interested in entering our forests as artists, naturalists, and stewards. Not a foraging class, nor a technical camera class, it is an exercise in attention. We will use smartphone photography as an accessible art form, mushrooms as our subject, and iNaturalist as the bridge between creative practice and community science.

We will start indoors at the Hoffman Center with a short welcome, then move into the Wonder Garden for hands-on practice with phones. We’ll learn about working in cool coastal light and composing a small subject against a busy background. We will discuss how to add your finds to a free global scientific log called iNaturalist.

Next, we will caravan in cars to Nehalem Bay State Park for a guided walk. This park is one mile away from the Hoffman Center for the Arts. On our walk, you'll learn to spot mushrooms, see what they’re growing from, what their habitat reveals, and how moisture and decay can help shape your pictures. Then, you'll practice photographing the same mushroom two ways. The art image captures mood, form, and color. The field-note image documents what you saw clearly enough that someone else could identify it for scientific purposes, including the cap, underside, base, substrate, and scale. By the end of this class, you'll know more about how to move between the two, and perhaps even combine them in a single frame. 

After class, you can edit and upload your favorites to iNaturalist and enter two categories: Best Mushroom Portrait and the Tiny World Award. Winners may be featured in the Hoffman newsletter and on our social media (with your permission).

What to bring

• A fully charged smartphone

• Weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear for coastal conditions

• Water and snacks

• A small cloth for drying hands and phones

Notes

• This is not a foraging class. Brittany will help identify the various fungi we see; we will not be eating or harvesting any mushrooms.  

• This is a rain-or-shine workshop, barring extreme weather, so please come dressed for potentially very wet coastal conditions.

• This class is designed for ages 13 and up, but kids aged 10 to 12 are welcome to come along as long as they stay close to their guardian.  

• The field session covers about 1.5 miles at a slow observation pace, on relatively flat but often wet, sandy, or rooty ground. Bending and kneeling are encouraged but never required. If you would like to bring a waterproof kneeling pad, portable sit stool, folding cane, or sit pad, that may be helpful, since we will be getting low on wet ground. 

• This class is for anyone curious about mycology and nature photography. You do not need a fancy camera, prior mushroom knowledge, or any specific art background. Even if you don’t have a smartphone, you are still welcome to come on the walk and learn with the group. 

• You'll do any photo editing and upload to iNaturalist at home, which keeps our time together focused on learning about mushrooms.  

• Participants agree to follow all Hoffman Center, Oregon State Parks, and instructor safety guidance during the workshop. Additionally, all participants will stay within earshot of the group at all times, step lightly and with intention when walking off trail, take care to not damage plants or disturb wildlife, and pack out all trash.

• Hoffman Center classes and events are often photographed or filmed, and we love sharing those moments on our social media, website, and newsletter so people can get a feel for what it's like to create and connect here. When you register, you're agreeing that we may use photos or video that include you. If you'd rather not appear, just let a staff member know when you arrive.

• This class is free to attend thanks to support from our donors! If you would like to donate so we can continue to host classes like these, we welcome that. Your support helps Hoffman provide accessible arts programming, creative opportunities, and meaningful community experiences on the North Oregon Coast. https://www.hoffmanarts.org/donate

Locations

Part One: Meet at Hoffman Center for the Arts

594 Laneda Avenue, Manzanita, OR 97130

We will begin at 12pm; participants should arrive a few minutes early to check in and use the facilities if needed.

Part Two: Nehalem Bay State Park

Meet at the Nehalem Bay Airport parking lot at 1:30pm. From the entrance to Nehalem Bay State Park at the intersection of Garey St. and Sandpiper Ln, head South for 0.56 miles, take your first left onto a short road signed for Nehalem Bay Airport, park near the wooden fence at the end. Click here for the map.

We will travel by personal vehicle or pre-arranged carpool. Nehalem Bay State Park requires a day-use parking permit which can be purchased electronically here.

Accessibility

This workshop includes indoor instruction, garden photography practice, and an outdoor field component on flat but potentially wet, sandy, muddy, rooty, or slippery terrain. Participants should be able to walk slowly for approximately 1–1.5 miles with frequent stops. The class will move at a slow observation pace, not a hiking-for-fitness pace. Bending, crouching, kneeling, and sitting on the wet forest floor is encouraged but not required.

About your instructor

Brittany Marcotte is a North Oregon Coast naturalist, mushroom guide, educator, and photographer. Since 2018, she's led mushroom walks and field learning for groups large and small, with collaborators including the Oregon Mycological Society, Oregon State University, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Hoyt Arboretum, and Portland Metro. Her teaching is grounded, playful, and welcoming to beginners. 

See her work on iNaturalist and on Instagram at @stellar_viscera.