Martin Stranka
Martin Stranka a native of the Czech Republic who lives in Prague, is a self-taught professional photographer. Martin was a bored student plodding through courses in business school when the unexpected death of a close friend led him to pursue photography as a form of therapy. That hobby turned into a passion and, eventually, a profession.
Martin's distinctive vision of photography is etched as a unique space located in a balance and serenity, while his sophisticated and rewarding images exist in that narrow window of a few seconds between dreaming and awakening. Martin creates images that appear to be stills from a film — one that walks the line between fantasy and reality.
During the last few years he has won over 50 major international photography awards from different competitions, including Professional Photographer of the Year, Nikon International Photo Contest, Prix de la Photographie Paris, Sony World Photography Awards and International Photography Awards eleven times in a row.
His solo and group exhibitions have been seen from South and North America, through Europe, all the way to Asia. His photographs have been exhibited in places such as New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Milan, London, Miami, Paris, Prague, Hong Kong, Kiev and many more. Martin's work was presented in prestigious galleries such as Getty Images Gallery, Saatchi Gallery and SNAP! Orlando. His work stood proudly alongside the likes of Andy Warhol, Annie Leibovitz, Banksy, Damien Hirst, Helmut Newton and Erwin Olaf. Martin was introduced and exposed at SCOPE, the largest and most global emerging art fair in the world, held annually in New York City, Miami, and Basel.
Martin's dreamy, transportive photography has been commissioned by cultural institutions such as the National Theatre in Prague and the Czech National Ballet. Dozens of his images have also been used by New York publishers for the covers of mysteries and thrillers — genres he believes his work is perfectly suited to. He has created book covers for the biggest New York publishers, such as Harper Collins Publishers, Sterling Publishing and Penguin Random House. In addition, he has collaborated with other book publishers, music publishers and artists around the world. Work of Martin Stranka was featured in interviews for Adobe, Disney, The Guardian and many more."
AWARDS
2019
Winner, Sony World Photography Awards, Open Creative Category
2018
Sony World Photography Awards, National Award Winner, Enhanced Category Honorable Mention
2017
Gold Award, "Until You Wake Up", Prix de la Photographie Paris, PX3, Nature professional category, International
Honorable Mention, International Photography Awards 2017, "Until You Wake Up", Nature category, 14300 entries, 165 countries, International
International Photography Awards 2017, Honorable Mention, "Circle Of Life", Special Category, 14300 entries, 165 countries, International
Honorable Mention, "Holes In The Sky", Monovisions Awards 2017, Fine art category, International
Sony World Photography Awards 2018, "Until You Wake Up", Photo of the week, International
Finalist, Photographer’s Forum magazine, 37th Annual Contest, 9100 entries, 48 countries, International
Nominee, "Holes In The Sky", Fine Art Photography Awards, category: Fine Art, 89 countries, International
Nominee, "Until You Wake Up", Fine Art Photography Awards, category: Open Theme, International
Honorable Mention, "Holes In The Sky", Monochrome Awards 2016, category: Fine Art, International
International Photographer of the Year 2016, Honorable Mention, Fine Art, 13.000 entries, International
Editor's Choice, 500px, photo "Overgrown", International
2016
Honorable Mention, "Holes In The Sky", International Photography Awards 2016, category: Fine Art, International
2.nd place, Category: Mood, winning photo "I Wish I Was Special", 1x.com, International
Et Cetera Photography, Winner, Czech Republic
Editor's Choice, 500px gallery, International
Monochrome Awards 2015, Honorable Mention, category: Professional in Conceptual, 7200 entries, International
2015
Honorable Mention, ND Awards, category: Fine Art, 5600 entries, International
Moscow International Foto Awards, Honorable Mention, category: Fine Art, 84 countries, International
1.st place, American Aperture Awards, AX3, Conceptual category, 60 countries, International
First Prize, Prix de la Photographie Paris, PX3, Fine Art professional category, 85 countries, International
Curators Choice Award, 1X, International
Editor's Choice, 500px, International
2014
Top 10 Surreal Photographers , Photography Office, International
2013 1.st place, artistaday, Floating edition, International
The Grand & Prestigious Photographers Of 2013, 121clicks, International
Best of 2013, Saatchi Gallery, Saatchi Online International
2012
1.st place, International Loupe Awards 2012, 2340 photographers, 92 countries, International
Gold Award, International Loupe Awards 2012, 2340 photographers, 92 countries, International
1.st place, EISA Photo Maestro, Czech Republic / International
1.st place, Panasonic Lumix Award, Europe, International
1.st place, Professional Photographer of the Year 2011, 6.300 entries, 37 countries, International
2.nd place, Digital Photographer of the Year Awards 2011, International
Finalist, Sony World Photography Awards 2012, International
2011
1.st place, Category Winner - People's Choice, 1X Photo Awards 2011, Conceptual, International
1.st place, Emerging Talent Award, Nikon Photo Contest International, 60.000 entries, International
TOP 12 / Most Popular Ever, One Exposure (1x.com), 50.000 entries, International
1.st place, Convozine Challenge, International
Finalist, Saatchi Showdown, The Saatchi Gallery, UK / International
Photographer Of The Week, JPG Magazine, International
1.st place, Blur Photo 011, annual Best of BLUR magazine, Zagreb / Croatia
3.rd place, Digital Photographer of the Year Awards 2010, 300.000 entries, International
Artist of the week, The Saatchi Gallery, UK / International
2010
1.st place, The Photography Ashes, International
1.st place, International Photography Awards 2010, International