Planet Fungi safari in remote northeast India
In the ultimate armchair travel adventure, the hero of fungi lovers across the globe, photographer Stephen Axford, is on the hunt for the answers we all want to know.
What fungi are edible?
What fungi are poisonous?
And, why do scientists now think fungi are absolutely essential to life on this planet?
“Without fungi there would be no forests”
- Stephen Axford, Photographer & Presenter
In their Planet Fungi documentaries Stephen (presenter) and Catherine (writer, cinematographer, director) share the beauty and science of the Kingdom of Fungi. They document mushrooms in some of the most remote forests across the planet.
If you would like to purchase this documentary (ad free) and/or do a masterclass in macro fungi photography go to www.planetfungi.movie
About Stephen
Stephen's images of mushrooms have featured in leading science and nature magazines across the globe, and his time-lapses of fungi growing are in many documentaries including Planet earth 2, Fantastic Fungi, Hostile Planet, Our Planet and The Kingdom; how fungi made the earth. He even has a mushroom named after him - Panaeolus axfordii. He has been invited to document the fungi in Nepal, India, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Mexico and Chile, and of course it is a constant obsession in the fungi hotspots of Tasmania, the NSW north coast and southern Queensland in Australia. He is a Sony Australia ambassador.
About Catherine
Catherine has had a successful international career as a documentary director and cinematographer and as an ABC Features Reporter. Credits include ‘Steel City’, ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, the ‘Life Series’, ‘Hospital-an unhealthy business, ‘Dino Stampede’, ‘Babe in the Reeds’ and 'Beyond the Royal Veil'. Over the past decade. She was a Finalist in the Walkley Awards for excellence in journalism in 2019 for her work on the documentary project 'Leagueability'.
I just love when people find their lifelong passion in their work and share it with us. Who knew fungi could be so beautiful? Bravo!
Thank you for taking the time to give such lovely feedback.
I absolutely agree! There’s some very beautiful fungi on the planet and now it’s being shared so everyone can see it.
😍😍😍
@@catgiles3268😊
Congratulations on finding new species! Stunning photography, as usual!
Thank you so much 😀
Thank you for your feedback and taking the time to share your thoughts. I think there may be a misunderstanding. When Saurev says very little is known about Fungi he’s talking specifically about in Assam and he does qualify that. It is correct that people there seem on the whole to have lost that cultural knowledge. However, in the documentary we also say that in Arunachal Pradesh and in Meghalaya the local people know much more about Fungi. The purpose of the documentary was to record what they knew, so it could be shared with others in India, who may have lost that knowledge and have similar species. And of course to photographically document that Fungi so that it could be used in field guides. It is true that the people from Balipara could have asked these questions themselves and on an ongoing basis they do ask those questions. The photographer Stephen Axford asked those questions in the film as a storytelling device to make that information accessible to an international audience. I hope that explains what was meant.
I grew up photographing fungi with my grandparents, your work is truly inspirational. Thank you!
Wow, thank you for that really generous feedback. We're really pleased people like it.
Yes me too - All in my family have been Fungey photografers
SO beautiful and wholesome! Putting together a visual dictionary for the locals to know what's edible and what isn't. How kind !!!! I love this series cant wait to watch the next one! Thank you Stephen for sharing your knowledge and passion with us all!
Not sure how often I started to cry but some of these were just TOO beautiful. Much love to mama nature and the entire team!!!
I am so appreciative of all the work everyone is involved in. Thanks to all involved in positively linking people with the natural world
Thanks you so much for the lovely feedback.
At about 50, David left a career in IT to pursue a passion for documenting the world’s fungi. His quiet passion is infectious, inspiring, and evident in his gorgeous photographs and time-lapse videos. 🍄💖💚❤️
What an incredible, informative, and delightful experience! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Wow the festival in Meghalaya was mesmerizing!!
It was bonkers.
23.42 loving the saying "technology is a useful servant...but a dangerous master" 👍
In Chile we started to know fungi life a few years ago and now we have even Fungifest in regionals parts of the country! Thanks for sharing us this relevant material from anothers cultures 💙.
To everyone reading this and listening. Close your eyes, inhale and feel the air in your lungs give life to your beautiful soul. and as you exhale, release the tension in your shoulders, ease the tension in your neck and the back of your head. Allow peace to flow inside of every fiber and vein in your body. You are doing great. No matter what you are going through. You will be just fine. Hugs to you all..
What a wonderful film! Very interesting to learn about what is growing in India. Images are really beautiful thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is absolutely phenomenal!❤
Thank you
Stephen and Paul Stamets are two bight beacons shinning in the dark world of mycellium!
Love it! Kong is an amazing, beautiful soul
Amazing photos, great work!
Thanks for sharing all this wonderful information.
Beautiful Mother ❤❤❤❤❤ An absolute true inspiration, her struggles she overcame and her dedication to her kin, breaths life into my soul. ❤❤
Thanks again Stephen Axford & Catherine Marciniak for this amazing movie
Thank you for the lovely feedback
Man, massive respect for people who do this type of amazing work.
Stunning photography, thanks for sharing your skill.
Kong is such a joy. Her spirit is very rich!
5.54 this man 1 has a good heart 2 is a real hero 👏🙏🌍🍀
The oldest life form on the planet. And most mind opening and heart blossoming.
Excellent video; I remember when Wimbledon Common was a fungal safari that precluded the need to look abroad. Also the Hog's Back, Epping Forest, and Hampstead Heath.
Amazing video, the fungi kingdom is awesome to explore, and the India culture in the video brought some more interesting informations. Very nice to meet some locals and see their vision about it as well
So nice of you to give this feedback and glad you enjoyed the story. Thank you.
Amazing document,I am from Poland and fascinated with India,is it beautyfull country,so huge with massive potential ,all best for India;🥰
I saw this guy's last film. It is utterly brilliant. I'm so stoked to watch this
How Stephen Axford changed my view of the world ... Thank you!
Absolutely mindblowing and astonishing at the same time . You do an amazing job in documenting fungi and showing them to the world. And i absolutely love that you also included some of the local peoples tradicions and theyr knowledge about mushrooms. As well as your combination of video photography talking and music goes so well with each other, its just great to witness. Highly appreciated all the work and efford you pour into those videos and photographies, you are a true inspiration .
Excellent video! I've always been fascinated by fungi, but to be honest I've never really tried to look around for them. They're just there. Your work is truly an inspiration. Real eye opener to see what's hidden in plain sight when you start to really look. Thank you for sharing
What I love the most about mushrooms is how diverse is the growing conditions of them. I wonder if there are any species in Arctica (apart from lichens) that we haven't found yet?
Very interesting to see the overlap of mushrooms between europe and asia. I recognized many from home! So far away yet very similar
27:56 that red bug(maybe a spider) is so beautiful, I wouldn't touch it.
"this is the first time she has seen this and she is very excited to know it" love this ❤
Amazing! I also want to meet that jolly Kong now. 😂 Love from Assam ✨
Thank you so much 😀
Fascinating documentary. There are many verity of fungi. By seeing this protecting and preserving fungi is an important part in our fragile planet.
Very Beautiful, you guys are awesome!!! When i learned about Fungi i quickly realised Fungi are the missing link for the world.
Thank you so much.
Love love LOVE the Forest Man! ❤
Incredible story ,so much inspiration and hope here that a man's passion and curiosity mixed with amazing talent to film ,connect with native indigenous wisdom can bring many undiscovered species to the light for us to study and appreciate.Ive been photographing fungi for over 20 years it began when my daughter Jayde (WHO NOW IS IN HER FINAL STUDIES OF A BACHELOR OF BIO SCIENCE) at a younge age believed in fairies and was fascinated by mushrooms in which they might dwell so we took photos pick to see if any fairies would be present in our photography.Ive since become a horticulturist and lately have a passion for understanding fungi and its relationship with plants,blown away with the intelligence of it all happening seemingly unnoticed to most ,yet such a vital link in the chain of life. Thanks for a brilliant and extremely educational look into fungi growing in its native enviroment capturing it BRILLIANTLY with your keen eye and lenses YET most of all the indigenous knowledge your able to share with us. I've always believed there is something very special indeed about these fungi we know so little about ,they are a key of Importance to us .
This is a fascinating video! And a very good effort documenting and classifying the Fungi Diversity in just the Northeastern part of India.
Beautiful!! Thank you for visiting our Northeast India, Iam from Nagaland.
My new favorite channel on KZhead. Please. Give us more!
Beautiful photographs, time lapses and video footage. Thank you, I enjoyed watching this 🍄
Magnificent. Just glorious. Thank you!
thank you for this beautifully made doc
Спасибо Огромное Вам и Вашей команде Всем за Этот Удивительный мир грибов .
Love from northeast india ❤
Amazing Documentary !!! I Love Mushrooms also realized Forests with out them wouldn't exist.
Excellent documentary, spectacular fungi
Fungi are the most fascinating species in the world. I mean could we even survive without them...they were the most underrated creatures in the world. Past tense!! Thank you for your amazing work and photography!!!
Beautiful film! Fungi are so diverse.
Incredibly beautiful, informative and entertaining. Thank you.
Beautiful places and people in this documentary and such a useful resource for the locals. I wonder how the information will be made available so that more villagers can know which are poisonous and edible? That older lady was so lovely and funny! Thanks Stephen for following your passion and sharing it with the world ✌️
Thank you sharing information beautiful information with us
Muy hermoso recorrido una facinante descripción . El profesor y ese magnífico grupo indú de maravilla .
Thanks for this! It's unfortunate that with so many types of edible fungi, in a typical supermarket there are only white ones and brown ones. Northeast India seems to have the most diversity of humans, too.
Another excellent job. Things made with love make a difference, thanks and love.
Great Video! Yes Fungi are Absolutely Essential to Life on Earth!! This is Super Important Work cataloging all the Mushroom species so the Local population can be Part of the Preservation and Economic use of these Beautiful Mushroom species!!
The journey was very informative.... Great job
You said it bro. Endlessly fascinating. Every minute of this was beautiful, places people , customs and of course the infinite diversity of fungi. Imagine , the beginning of our knowledge of one of the primary creators of the world we live in.
Fantastic work. Congratulations on finding new species.
That was so enjoyable, fungi are my favourite subject to photograph here in the UK and you inspire me a great deal.
Enjoyed watching this, thanks.. underrated! 💚
Thank you for an inspirational video! Brilliant
I'm an Indian I luv my country it's so good to learn so much thru yr doc very infirmative yes v did know there were poisonous mushrooms but how does one detect it. Great job with enkughtenung us with a variety of species. Gid bless u all luv these doc. Well portrayed. Thanks ❤🌹🙏❤❤❤❤
What a wonderfully done expedition into the rarely visited sections of India. I hope it helps save virgin forests that are under threat in the last village you covered - the one where you found the mushrooms with the glowing stems. What a valuable document this is! Missing is any mention of possible members of Hymenogastraceae, the ones that bruise purple. Coverage of the crazy but utterly charming festival is really good as is the choice in sounds that accompany each segment. Five stars for sure!
A fascinating film. My compliments to the makers.
Thank you.
Notice they skip right past the ones growing in elephant dung😊
Excellent documentary 🍄
Much appreciated!
That was interesting and beautiful.....I learned a lot and I am totally charmed ....thanks a lot!!!
Welcome sir to north East India......we are welcome you....
This documentary was amazing... Really it is worth to consider that how importantly Fungus dominate a forest. Before watching this video I never thought about fungi like today. I would like to thank this team for this informative documentary. Watching this video from Bangladesh..
I am very grateful to watch your work.
You did the great job sir. ❤❤
Thank you I really enjoyed your masterpiece 😊
Glowing fungi.. wow
The funguis are beautiful 👏👏👏👏
Absolutely Great Video!
Some of those mushrooms in India have relatives over here in Europe. I seemed to recognize a species of Lactarius and maybe also a species of Lepista, but can't be sure, since the documentary doesn't provide the scientific names for most of the mushrooms being presented. Definitely recognized the macrolepiota procera specimens, they're such a classic.
Absolutely gorgeous my beloved Stephen and Catherine, thank you for sharing your hard work, experience and unique sensitivity and passion for mushrooms! Lol from Mexico!
Thank you so much Jesus. Beautiful comment from a beautiful soul.
❤😍🥰Beautiful video sir! 🙏
very valuable video, thanks for sharing
Amazing documentary, thank you 🙏
Wow 🤩 Just WOW 🤩 Breathtaking ❤ 🍄
Mr_jonahmicro17G
I love seeing the fungi in India, the similarities but different polypores and how cute all the little bugs and spiders are there, i am so enjoying this thank you so much.
Oh that was just the cutest at 37:50 or so.
I LOVE the photos & location… the musical background is WAY OVER THE TOP🎶DECIBELS🙉 🍄(I like the musical choice…please keep it as a soft accompaniment)
Are there any more documentaries similar to this one? It's so interesting
Thank you for the lovely comment. Have you checked out some of the other shorter videos on our Planet Fungi KZhead channel.
You may like something called "Fantastic Fungi"
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome documentary, thank you, I also love to photograph fungi
Just lovely and very educational
Amazing! Thank you so much 🙏
Thank you for sharing your amazing work with us! Fantastic film!
Thank you too for supporting our work.
Very educational ❤❤❤ you should teach it to other people
What a wonderful documentary! I first saw a mycelium network when I was digging my compost heap. It looked like roots but much more delicate and it was everywhere. I did not know what it was but later when I read the book The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben I found out.
Thank you for another excellent video. the fungi @ 27:04 looks a little like the Sulphur Polypore or Chicken of the Woods - Laetiporus sulphureus which when young is a very tasty mushroom, I prefer it to chicken.
Soooo Beautiful,,, thank you 🙏🌷👏
what a nice documentary. amazed by this species. The shiva. The one who turns blue by sucking the poison of the world.