Shortlist, Growing Knowledge by Yelena Strokin

"We cut down trees to make books and gain knowledge - I love books and read every day - but the knowledge we really need in our lives is in nature, right in front of us. These still life images are from my Growing Knowledge series, which focuses on the circle of life for plants, trees, mushrooms and insects. It’s dedicated to the natural forests and wildlife of the world. Every picture features a mushroom and a book with a different meaning and feeling. The series was made using natural light from one window of my studio. I try to keep my photography as pure as possible, so no post-processing was involved."