23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Peek A Boo

This image captures an intimate moment of symbiotic feeding: a small snail diligently consuming a Termitomyces mushroom. The scene is elevated by the deliberate use of backlighting, which transforms the subtle details of the fungi into a vibrant spectacle. The light is strategically positioned to cause diffraction through the mushroom's dense veil of spores and gills. This phenomenon shatters the light, resulting in a radiating halo of vibrant, exhibited colors—pinks, blues, and golds—that give the entire fungal body a translucent, otherworldly luminescence.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Pune, India
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Indranil Basu Mallick