Rand thanks for your kind words, although Hieronymous is probably rolling over in his grave. As you surmised what you are looking at is a large fungal mass. Although it's difficult to see at this resolution, there are several long legged insects which are apparently making their home in the chambers of this fungus. I saw this while walking through the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center here in Maryland. Not being a mycologist I have no idea what family to which this particular fungus belongs. Anyway, I saw somewhat of a connection between it and Heironymous Bosch's visions of hell. Basically all I did was crop and adjust the contrast. Scott > > Scott Thurmond - "Hell, Half Eaten" > http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/thurmond.html > > I like this photograph a lot. I have no idea what I am looking at, but that > is irrelevant. (Although if I had to guess, my conjecture would be some sort > of fleshy fungoid plant life.) This photograph is not to be appreciated for > the object, but rather for the abstracted feelings evoked by gazing at the > image. > > And feelings abound from Thurmond's submission. The shapes are curvaceous > and mysterious. The coloring from the light center to the dark edges enhance > the mystery of the total. The shadows and partial illuminations of various > portions of the object create interest. The black, or at least dark, spots > scattered about the object punctuate points of interest and asymmetry. > > This is good; this is very good. It is not Bosch; it is better. >
