A tree with an unusually curved trunk or a flower with an unexpected shape can make an ordinary landscape feel unfamiliar. French photographer Philippe Jarrigeon uses this sense of curiosity as the starting point for his latest creative projects.

Through carefully arranged compositions, vivid colors, and unusual combinations of natural materials, he invites viewers to reconsider how they look at the world around them.

His series Le Vrai du Faux, presented at Paris Photo 2026, focuses on the distinctive trees of Champagne, France. Rather than treating nature as a simple background, Jarrigeon gives trees, flowers, and other natural forms an important role in his visual storytelling.

Twisted Trees Become Artistic Subjects

One of the main inspirations for Le Vrai du Faux is the Faux de Verzy, a group of unusually shaped beech trees in the Champagne region. Their trunks and branches grow in complicated, twisting patterns, creating silhouettes that look quite different from those of typical trees. Jarrigeon uses their unusual appearance to build a photographic world that moves between reality and imagination. The trees become central subjects, with their distinctive shapes giving each composition its own personality.

The project also reflects the landscape's geological history. Shells and other natural materials appear alongside plants and carefully selected objects, suggesting connections between different stages of the environment's past.

A Style Influenced by Fashion and Pop Culture

Jarrigeon's visual approach has developed through nearly two decades of work across photography, fashion, design, and personal projects. After graduating from ECAL in 2006, he began developing a style influenced by advertising imagery, fashion editorials, and popular culture.

His photographs often feature strong colors, polished arrangements, and carefully planned details. However, the results are not simply decorative. Unexpected combinations and touches of humor make the images feel playful rather than overly formal. References to visual culture from the 1980s and 1990s also influence his work. He uses familiar styles in unusual ways, creating scenes that feel recognizable while presenting something viewers might not expect.

From Fontainebleau to Champagne

Before developing Le Vrai du Faux, Jarrigeon spent two years photographing the Forest of Fontainebleau. The project became Rocher Fatal, his second book, published by RVB Books. The photographs present the forest as a setting for carefully observed moments and imaginative scenes. Instead of documenting the landscape in a conventional way, Jarrigeon combines natural surroundings with unexpected visual arrangements.

The book includes trees, rock formations, flowers, and human figures, bringing together elements that might usually be considered separately. Its cinematic compositions give the forest a distinctive atmosphere while retaining a connection to the real landscape. The two projects share an interest in transforming familiar places through photography. While Rocher Fatal focuses on Fontainebleau, Le Vrai du Faux moves the artist's attention towards the natural forms and geological features of Champagne.

Playing With Natural and Artificial Materials

An interesting part of Jarrigeon's work is the way he combines genuine natural materials with objects that imitate them. In Le Vrai du Faux, this approach encourages viewers to question what they are looking at. For example, the photograph The Surprise includes decorative objects made from shells, arranged within a carefully constructed studio composition. Their appearance connects the image to Champagne's geological past, when the region was covered by the sea.

Jarrigeon also worked with designer Camille Lichtenstern while collecting objects for the project. Their selection included familiar decorative items that could take on a different meaning when placed in a new context. This mixture of natural references and artificial arrangements gives the photographs an additional layer. Something that initially appears decorative may also suggest a much longer environmental history.

Flowers With Their Own Personalities

Flowers are another important element in Jarrigeon's photographic language. In Rocher Fatal, he developed a series of floral portraits that introduce the book's imaginative atmosphere. Working with floral designer Aline from Studio VGT, he created arrangements that give flowers distinctive visual characters. Bright colors and carefully shaped compositions make the subjects feel almost like figures in a story.

Paris Photo 2026 and the New Project

Le Vrai du Faux is presented in the Émergence section of Paris Photo 2026 at the Grand Palais, running from November 12 to 15. Jarrigeon is also the recipient of the eighth Prix Maison Ruinart, which supports photographers creating new work connected to the living world.

His earlier project, Rocher Fatal, is also being presented through a solo exhibition at WOMANRAY in Paris, scheduled to remain open until December 24, 2026.

Philippe Jarrigeon's photography offers a different way to appreciate nature. Through Rocher Fatal and Le Vrai du Faux, he shows how creative photography can make familiar landscapes feel new without losing their connection to the real world. His work encourages viewers to pay closer attention to unusual natural forms and consider how much visual character can exist in the details of an everyday environment.