Cicadas competing at the Olympics or scrambling in a group? How about a line of cicadas lining up for CVS vaccinations?

The appearance of the insects known as Brood X, or Brood 10, along the eastern United States after a 17-year hiatus, inspired Virginia professional portrait photographer Oxana Ware to create art installations on a small scale, placing the ubiquitous insects in new and unexpected settings. .

“I always teach my children to be playful and respectful of nature, that’s how the idea was born,” said the 39-year-old, who has three young children. “We started with my son’s fire truck and it was just a huge success.”

Ware collects the cicadas in her yard and places them in dollhouse-sized sets that she’s made to showcase them. As you might expect, the bugs are far from cooperative and it usually takes a while before she can photograph an insect in a simulated barbell press.

What started out as a light way to commemorate cicadas has helped children stop being afraid of cicadas, Ware says.

“I have a lot of thanks,” she said. “A lot of kids who were very tired of these things are not afraid of them anymore, and the“ clothes line ”cicada that puts on a dress is the reason.

Ware excels at telling stories about the cicadas in his images.

“I missed live music so much that I decided to do a cicada rock band,” she says, setting up the stage with miniature musical instruments. “This guy is trying to play the guitar … The bass was a difficult position to occupy.”

Having emigrated to the United States from Tula, Russia 20 years ago, Ware even brings his home country into his cicada portrait art with a photo of a creeper on the facade of a St. Basil’s Cathedral. .

“I always see the best of people. I see the best of cicadas,” she said. “I try to show people the best in any situation and I like people to be less stressed in life and have more fun.

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