About the event
Learn the art of macro fungi photography from award-winning New Zealand macro photographer Paula Vigus.
For this special Sony Scene practical workshop we are bringing Paula to Wellington to share her knowledge and demonstrate how she goes about achieving such wonderful macro images of fungi. Paula will demonstrate using her camera setup of choice: the Sony Alpha 7R V and FE 90mm F2.8 G macro lens. This workshop is open to all camera brand users and is designed for beginner macro shooters.
You'll come away from this workshop equipped with the knowledge of interesting and endemic fungi, how to plan and approach an outdoor macro shoot, the ideal camera settings and what you need in your macro kit. Paula will also provide an online post-production session so you can see how she edits her incredible macro shots.
This practical workshop involves:
- An online briefing prior to the practical workshop.
- 3-4 hours on the ground shooting with Paula in the Botanic Gardens
- An online editing session
- An optional photo review one week following the workshop
As this is an outdoor workshop there is a weather element: we have planned for a weekend shoot that may shift from the Saturday to the Sunday if required.
About Paula Vigus
Papamoa based Paula Vigus LPSNZ (Licentiate honours with the Photographic Society of New Zealand) has a passion for nature and macro photography, in particular fungi. In 2022 she was announced the winner of the Sony Alpha ANZ Awards - Nature Category with one of her fungi photographs.
In 2023 Paula collaborated with Liv Sisson as the main photographer for the book Fungi of Aotearoa: A Curious Forager’s Field Guide.
In 2024 she was credited with finding and photographing the first known colony of Alwisia Repens slime mould in New Zealand. Paula has won several awards in various photography competitions over the past 5 years and is currently working on her own fungi photography book with well known publishers, Potton and Burton, which is due out early September 2025.
Techniques covered
- Basic macro
- Focus stacking
- Lighting
- Composition
- Basic editing
- Stacking software such as Helicon or Zerene (Paula uses Helicon)
What to bring
- Camera
- Macro lens
- SD card/s
- Lens cloth/blower
- Tripod or bean bag
- Flash or small LED lights
- Something waterproof to kneel on
- Dress for the weather but also an extra layer as it gets cold when sitting still
- Snacks and/or lunch
- Water bottle
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