FLORAPTERA, photo series, 2014-2022.
This photographic series presents flowers photographed like winged insects. I divert a subject from reality, in this case flowers, to show another from the imagination, in this case insects. Within the same form, the imaginary is superimposed on reality, thus creating a double reading of the photograph and revealing a bridge between flowers and insects.
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Original version is here: https://www.corinne-thouvenin.com/florapteres
Proofreading by no one.
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Title: ButterWasp (butterfly/wasp)
Series: Floraptera
Year: 2022
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 100 x 150 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
A yellow tulip takes on the appearance of a winged insect, a hybrid between a butterfly and the French paper wasp.
The framing focuses attention on the wasp-like elements (the yellow and almost black colors; the hanging legs; the hind legs longer than the front legs). The petals, by their streaks, their colors and their size, refer to a butterfly. I magnified everything with a macro lens and an atypical lighting scene (multiple and violent lighting for overexposure allowing bright white and yellow halos).
Title: Winged insect at the promontory.
Series: Floraptera
Year: 2021
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 100 x 150 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
I am making a connection here between a fleur-de-lis and a moth, wings spread, having just landed on a protuberance. I focus attention (via lighting and scissoring away unnecessary elements) on the similarities between this flower and a moth: the wing-like petals, the pistils resembling insect antennae. The blue white balance and the very focused and contrasted lighting create a night effect.
![Mante_religieuse_[tulipe]_-_série_Florap](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e4ef5_39d792860f0b47beb2aa831eb082f1e6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_635,h_425,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Mante_religieuse_%5Btulipe%5D_-_s%C3%A9rie_Florap.jpg)
Title: Praying mantis
Series: Floraptères
Year 2014
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 50 x 75 cm
Technique: photography
Limited edition of 20 copies
To realize this photo, I carefully chose this tulip for the shape of its pistil which evokes the head of a praying mantis; and for its 2 folded petals which can remind the claws of a praying mantis. I then cut out the extra pistils, to keep only those that can evoke antennae. Finally, I photographed this tulip with a telephoto lens, with a sophisticated set of lighting, a dark background and a rather closed diaphragm.
Title : Dracula butterfly
Series: Floraptera
Year 2014
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 50 x 75 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
An anthurium is staged and photographed to look like a large-winged butterfly.
The red of the anthurium is exacerbated by the chiaroscuro effect. So much so that it is associated with blood (and Count Dracula's cape) and darkness turns into deep night.
This photo is slightly retouched: grainy reflections and darkened light.
Title: French "poliste" wasp
Series: Floraptera
Year: 2022
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 100 x 150 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
I make here a connection between a yellow tulip (real subject) and a French "poliste" wasp in flight (imaginary subject).
The staging makes it possible to accentuate this resemblance and thus to perfect the incarnation of the imaginary subject: cutting of the pistil to make visible a stamen; downward inclination of the flower; spacing of the corolla; offset and highlighting of 2 petals; powerful lighting of the corolla; closure of the diaphragm; tight framing evacuating superfluous elements; oblique view...
![Papillon de nuit ailes déployées [lys] -](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e4ef5_63faac00203a4bb8a1bb6d7a66fc4fd0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_650,h_435,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Papillon%20de%20nuit%20ailes%20d%C3%A9ploy%C3%A9es%20%5Blys%5D%20-.jpg)
Title :Moth, wings spread.
Series: Floraptera
Year 2014
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 50 x 75 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
Here I am making a connection between a fleur-de-lis and a moth, wings outstretched, seen from above. I focus the attention (via the framing and sharpness) on the similarities between this flower and a moth: the down-hairiness, the wing-shaped petals, the pistils similar to insect antennae.
![l'envol_d'une_coccinelle_[_2_lys]_-_séri](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e4ef5_0481300ca93640818e70c410473e957a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_650,h_435,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/l'envol_d'une_coccinelle_%5B_2_lys%5D_-_s%C3%A9ri.jpg)
Title :The flight of a ladybug
Series: Floraptera
Year 2014
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 50 x 75 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
This photo results from the superposition of 2 flowers in oblique low angle: the first, a lily with open petals located in the background, evokes the outstretched wings of a ladybug in flight; the second, a lily with closed petals in the foreground, embodies the oval body of the insect
The play of lighting mystifies reality by focusing attention on evocative elements.
Title: Winged insect on the lookout.
Series: Floraptera
Year: 2021
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 100 x 150 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
Here I am making a comparison between a fleur-de-lys and a moth, wings outstretched, seen from above, at night. I focus attention (via lighting and cutting out unnecessary elements) on the similarities between this flower and a moth: the wing-shaped petals, the pistils similar to insect antennae. The bluish white balance and the very focused and contrasting lighting create a night effect.
Title :The flight of a moth.
Series: Floraptera
Year 2014
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 50 x 75 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
Frontal view of an imaginary moth, advancing towards us with outstretched wings.
I drew a parallel between the petals of a lily and the wings of a moth; between the pistils of this flower and the antennae of the insect.
This photo is slightly retouched: colorization and addition of a grainy texture.
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Title: Papilule
Series: Floraptera
Year: 2022
Dimensions : 20 x 30 to 100 x 150 cm
Technique: photography
Edition limited to 20 copies
I make here a connection between a yellow tulip and an insect (a hybrid between a French wasp and a dragonfly).
The framing focuses attention on the elements resembling a wasp (the yellow and almost black colors; the hanging legs) and those that can evoke the double and tapered wings of a dragonfly (the dark spots on the petals whose symmetry and tapered shape vaguely reminiscent of the body of a dragonfly).