The Summer of 2024 provided an interesting phenomena: massive boosts in cicada populations. A rare occurrence of two broods awakening at once ensured billions of cicadas across the United States’ central time zones, causing many sights like these across the south and midwest.

During the day, these little critters were, quite frankly, obnoxious. But at night - precisely 7pm, I took note - I was captivated by their peaceful relaxation. They had to save their energy to prepare for another day of loud screaming!

Here I attempted to capture the essence of summer evenings. Warm colors, blurry backgrounds and sleeping insects on lilting flowers evoke a dreamy moment of peace.

The beauty of these cicadas – their colors and their intricate wings – remind the viewer of just how amazing nature can be. It assures you that this is a moment full of tranquility and warmth. You are invited to rest.

I was happy to enhance the colors in the image and added film grain to make it feel as though it was taken with an older film camera. I imagine it was taken during the summer in the 60s; perhaps your grandfather took this photo, and it lies framed in the den of your grandmother’s house. You can hear the clock’s soft ticking as you take in the image. It’s a comforting thought.