Spanish photographer Xavi Bou captures dynamic images of birds in motion, and uses digital manipulation to display their flight paths as flowing, contorting ribbons in ‘Ornitographies’.
Bou’s fascination with birds began in childhood, and as his passion developed he became interested in showing the elusive shapes that birds make while flying. Bou recently flew to Iceland to expand the ‘Ornitographies’ series, where icebergs and rock formations served as a dramatic backdrop to the flight lines of the birds. Bou captured hundreds of images of the birds for each frame, and then layered them upon each other to show the movement that is created when they fly. The results appear like black ribbons or drifting double helices and provide a captivating insight into the group mentality of wildlife in transit. “Technology, science, and creativity combine to create evocative images which show the sensuality and beauty of the bird’s movements”, explains Bou’s artist statement. ‘Ornitographies’ is a balance between art and science, and as Bou states, “An invitation to perceive the world with the same curious and innocent look of the child we once were”.
All images © Xavi Bou
