It's easy to think of solitude as a bad thing. The thought of being alone can often seem scary or sad.
After all, friends and family are the stuff life is made of, and being surrounded by them lifts our spirits and forms the bonds we carry through life.
However, solitude has its benefits, too. When we're alone, we have time to think and get to know ourselves in a way that only we can.
That's what photographer Martin Stranka discovered while working on his series I Found The Silence, a series that explores what happens when we're alone, and how beautiful it can be.
His photos, which feature solitary figures in dreamlike spaces, are surreal and haunting, much like the self-portraits of another photographer we had the pleasure of covering, and use editing to boost their otherworldly character. T
he scenes Martin creates showcase his skill at creating a complex mood in a single image.
Check out some of his work below from this pensive, introspective series, as well as some amazing behind-the-scenes shots!
[H/T: BoredPanda]
Martin describes I Found The Silence as something of a diary, exploring his own feelings about solitude, and how they've changed over the course of his life.
On the one hand, he says that being alone is a source of anxiety.
"I may fear that I will somehow live a life of loneliness," he says, "or I may discover some truths about myself that can be scary of hurtful."
But he also finds that there is a great benefit in being alone, especially in such a hectic, fast-paced, and noisy world like ours.
Finding a quiet space to oneself can be a challenge when it seems like everything moves at whirlwind speeds.
Instead of seeing solitude as lonely or negative, Martin prefers to see it as a time to meditate and recharge, and to get to know oneself.
It's also time to take a much-needed break from the noise and activity surrounding us.
"It is time for inner peace," he explains. "In this world of chaos and distractions, we have gotten into a habit of not stopping, being busy and surrounding ourselves with things that are loud, disturbing and continuous."
In such a world, being alone in silence, even for a short time, is something Martin considers necessary and healthy.
He wants this series to explore the various ways we discover ourselves in moments of silence and solitude, and to show how beautiful those moments can be.
His photos are striking in the way that they can capture beauty, reflection, and sadness all in one image.
Of course, Martin's human figures aren't always completely alone in the photos. Occasionally, they're posed with animal companions.
Martin uses real animals to get these shots, and the experience is just as beautiful as the finished photo.
This photo, called Wait A Little Longer, features a white deer, which Martin describes as "majestic."
These animals might symbolize the connection to nature we can feel when alone, or maybe they represent the shy, unspoken internal being that we can finally find when we're in silence.
And in the making-of shots, we can see that the connection is just as touching and magical as is shown in the finished photos!
Photographing animals also requires its own special set of skills.
It's important that everyone get to know each other!
And that's especially true when the animals are handled, like this adorable fox.
These behind-the-scenes photos might look more everyday than the finished product, but hanging out with an animal like this is still a magical — and humbling — experience for everyone involved.
And when everything comes together, the end result is hauntingly beautiful.
You can see mush more of Martin's photography on his website, including other series exploring various moods and experiences.
And in such a bustling world, breathe some calm into someone's day by SHARING these beautiful photos.
