• Deadline for Submissions: September 30, 2026
  • Maximum of 5 Entries per WPMC member
  • Submit high resolution JPEG files
  • Rename images before submitting, using name and subject, e.g., “Joe Smith morel.jpg”
  • Email entries to Sara Klingensmith at [email protected]
  • Indicate in your email the desired category for each photo.
  • No AI-generated art or photos are permitted.

You must be a member of the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club in good standing to enter.  Club dues must be up to date.  Photos submitted by non-members will not be considered.

Entry Divisions

Advanced Pictorial: This division is for single photos that illustrate the beauty and variety of fungi in form and color. The objective is a photo suitable for display or illustration in a fine book. Judging criteria include consideration of both technical (focus, depth of field, exposure, lighting, color, absence of distracting elements) and artistic (composition, color, background, lighting) aspects.

Novice Pictorial: This division is for single photos that illustrate the beauty and variety of fungi in form and color. The objective is a photo that shows the photographer learning to use focus, depth of field, and lighting.

Documentary: For single photographs especially suited as illustrations in a field guide or monograph, or for use in a lecture. Emphasis is placed on portrayal of key morphological characteristics such that the usefulness of the image as an identification aid is maximized. Subjects may be shot in the field, laboratory or studio and the photographer has complete freedom to process, manipulate, or orient the specimen in any desired manner to achieve the goal. Close-ups of single features and photomicrographs are acceptable. Judging criteria will be the same as in the Pictorial categories but they will be of secondary importance to the overall mycological utility of the photo. Accurate identification of the subject will be a consideration.

Judge’s Option: For photos which do not fit into the Pictorial or Documentary divisions. Examples include fungi in an interesting situation, fungi with animals, people enjoying fungi, and mushroom selfies.

NEW Mushroom Art: This category is for drawings, paintings, sculptures, textiles, and digital art pieces celebrating mushrooms. Art must be family friendly. AI-generated art is not permitted. To enter this category, submit one photo of the art piece to be considered.

Subject material: Organisms from the Myxomycota (slime molds), the classes Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes of the Eumycota (“true fungi”), and Lichens are eligible. For Judge’s Option, nearly anything goes, so long as the theme relates to fungi, and fungi are a key element of the photograph.

Use and copyright: WPMC may use your photographs on the website, newsletter and Mushroom Catalog and when we do, they will always be accompanied by your name as photographer (mentioned on the same page or caption of the image). WPMC will not allow the use of your photographs on other websites, although realistically we cannot prevent this. We will not sell or provide the images to others without your permission, and the images remain the property and under the copyright of you the photographer and are used under license by the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club.

Below is a slide show of the Photo Contest that includes the winners from 2026.

Advanced Pictorial:
1st Place – Josh Doty
2nd Place – Barbora Batokova – Gliophorus cf. fumosus
3rd Place – Stephen Bucklin – Mycena haematopus
Honorable Mention – Cara Coulter – Hypholoma sp.
Honorable Mention – Josh Mowris

Novice Pictorial:
1st Place – Sarah Adkins – Jack
2nd Place – Isaac King – Veiled Panus
3rd Place – Dale Pinto
Honorable Mention – Marlene Strege – Trametes
Honorable Mention – Julie Travaglini
Honorable Mention – Katie Manion – Stinky Squid

Documentary:
1st Place – Barbora Batokova – Daldinia childiae
2nd Place – Stephen Bucklin – Vulpicida pinastri
3rd Place – Cara Coulter – Lactarius helvus

Judge’s Option:
1st Place – Isaac King – Green Wood Cup
2nd Place – Ed Jones
3rd Place – Jim Sinegal
Honorable Mention: Katie Manion – “Nice to Meet You”
Honorable Mention: Bill Kochanov – “Gettin’ on the Bus”

Mushroom Art:
First Place: Vince Wojtyna
Second Place: Cara Coulter – Brunnipila fuscescens
Third Place: Marissa Kolarosky