Photographing the hidden world of slime mould

Summary

Photographing the hidden world of slime mouldBarry WebbBarry Webb's "Glistening Slime Mould" won the people's choice in the macro category of the British Photography Awards 2025Welcome to the world of slime mould. These images, captured by photographer Barry Webb, provide a close-up view of single-celled slime mould organisms. A view that would not be possible with the naked eye. Using a high-powered macro lens, and a composite of stills, Barry is able to reveal the tiny structures, which can grow anywhere from forests to deserts. Barry has won awards for his work, which is mainly focused west of London, including the recent people's choice award in the macro section of the British photography awards. If you shrink yourself down to the size of a mite, and take a walk through the forest, this is how you would see slime mould.When Barry was photographing this slime mould, he thought it had dust on the top. It wasn't until he started to create the composite image at home that he realised he had captured two tiny mites reaching skyward. Barry said he "didn't know they existed" before he was introduced to the world of slime mould in 2019. A gardener by trade, but a keen hobby photographer - the Covid lockdown saw Barry spend more time outside hunting for these organisms. "It's not fungi, it's not a plant, it's not animal. It's more closely related to an amoeba," Barry explains.His photography focuses on the fruiting bodies of the slime mould, where the colour and drama are most intense, and from where spores are released. Barry explains how the slime mould feed off bacteria, algae and types of fungi and are an important part of the ecosystem. The RHS says slime mould has been used in some "incredible practical applications", including urban transport mapping simulations and in the search for dark matter. Showing me how it works - Barry's small set up involves a small camera, tripod and kneeling pad. (This reporter must remember a kneeling pad in future)Taking photos of s...