‘Miradors’ by Erwan Fichou.

‘Miradors’ is a lighthearted photo project created by French photographer Erwan Fichou that documents people popping out of oddly shaped trees. The inspiration for the project came when Fichou witnessed a gardener working atop a tree that was shaped like a spaceship, so he decided to get amongst it.

Fichou worked with city gardeners to develop the topiary sculptures along the streets of Mexico City. He then scheduled portrait sessions with friends and strangers—anyone who was willing to climb up into the trees and casually pose in order to capture a series of intriguing and surprising images communicating a unique relationship between people and nature.

By using topiaries as his background, Fichou created a playful enigma within the urban surroundings. The ephemeral form lasted only for a brief time before growing back into its natural shape, yet the photographs remain as evidence of the creative process. “I like to imagine that someone falls on the images, like an old album or an old book, sees no text, nothing that can provide a point of reference, and the images, without any context, still spark the imagination,” explains the photographer.

[All images © Erwan Fichou.]