With luminous colours and alien- like features, these magical mushrooms look like they belong on another planet. These mesmorising pictures, however, capture the beautiful variety of fungi here on Earth. The incredible images were taken by Australian photographer Stephen Axford, 62, after he became familiar with the importance of fungi in everyday life, and decided to document it twelve years ago..
A soap bubble lands on the frosty ground and creates a shimmering snow globe as crystals form around it .
SPLASHING around in a paddling pool, this little elephant soaks up the sunshine .
ARM extended and head flung back, this little chipmunk performs a loose-limbed yoga move .
A ROAD KILL munching Scot has chewed on everything from a dead squirrel to an unlucky crow – all in the name of art .
A proud gorilla mum welcomes her newborn baby western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species .
TUGGING on the wing of his sibling, this needy owl is after some attention .
An adorable little squirrel wakes from a nap and pops out his tongue for the camera .
A grey whale and her calf greet an audience of awestruck admirers on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico .
COVERING themselves in ash and face paint, these are the holy men who live their lives away from everyday society .
A terrified moose, trapped in a frozen lake, bobs her head above the icey water and awaits her rescue .
A brave leopard kicks back and relaxes in the sunshine - just inches from an enormous crocodile .