Awkward Trees
German fine art photographer Robert Voit's "New Trees" seem like everyday plants at first glance, but when one looks closer it's apparent they aren't trees at all. They're cell phone towers disguised (one might say badly) by telecom companies in an attempt to blend in with their urban and rural environments.
Anton Sister Park, Las Vegas, Nevada
By CBSNews.com senior photo editor Radhika Chalasani
"New Trees"
Cockermouth, Cumbria
Voit stumbled upon the cell phone tower trees while doing online research for fake Christmas trees. He was immediately fascinated and switched project ideas.
"New Trees"
Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, Arizona
Robert Voit has worked on the series "New Trees" since 2003 in the U.S., Great Britain, South Africa, and Germany among other countries.
"New Trees"
Galleria at Sunset, Las Vegas, Nevada
Voit has found "New Trees" all over the world.
"New Trees"
Santa Cruz, California
The camouflage includes deciduous trees, palms, pines and cacti.
"New Trees"
Estoril, São Pedro
The cell phone towers are given plastic "magic hoods", according to Voit "so that they then appear in the landscape as idealized forms of vegetation."
"New Trees"
Mono Lake, California
"The artificiality of these "new trees" readily declares itself--they are necessarily taller than most trees, their antennae are often visible through the leaves, or the trunks may be marked with warnings to keep away--and even without these clues they stick out from their surroundings as "not quite right," like Stepford wives of the arboreal world," according to Christoph Shaden who wrote the forward for the book, "New Trees."
"New Trees"
Hundon, Haverhill
Voit's images are available as fine art prints and in his new book, "New Trees."
"New Trees"
Ovnat, Dead Sea
"New Trees"
Virginia Avenue, Culver City, California
"New Trees"
Riseley, Bedford
"New Trees"
Industrial Drive, Flagstaff, Arizona
"New Trees"
Linden Road, West Sacramento, California
"New Trees"
Cuckfield, Haywards Heath
"New Trees"
Dexter Avenue, Lake Elsinore, California
"New Trees"
Birre, Rua das Cordonizes, Cascais
"New Trees"
City Creek Road, Mentone, California
"New Trees"
Norscot, Sandton
"New Trees" book published by Steidl