If you've ever read Hamlet and researched Ophelia's death, you've probably come across one of this photographer's amazing photos that made you think a little harder.

Gregory Crewdson is the astounding photographer behind these eerie, yet comforting, photos. Crewdson specializes in capturing these life-like scenes that look like a painting. The budgets for some of his shoots are often larger than that of films and it typically takes months for him to capture his photos. Using lighting and camera equipment similar to what is used in films, Crewdson designs each of his sets from scratch and individually places every item you see in the background to invoke a surrealistic tone. Here are a few examples:

And my personal favorite,

The thing about his photos is that there really is no meaning or purpose behind them. To decipher the meaning in the photos or why Crewdson decided to dump tons of dirt into a house in the picture above is entirely up to you. During his Interview with The American Reader, he even stated that "One of the few things I always tell people in my pictures is that I want less—give me something less." His subjects are nearly unemotional, but still seem like they have fascinating stories to tell. In multiple aspects, his photos can embody existentialist thought because the lack of a personal connection between the subject and viewer forces you to reflect your own thoughts on to the photo and determine the purpose, or meaning, all on your own. Each detail he places invokes a new emotion or triggers a new window in the viewer's mind and no interpretation of the artwork is incorrect. In fact, he names and refers to most of his work as "Untitled", giving the viewer the opportunity to name it themselves.

I encourage you to take a look and do some digging in his various masterpieces so that you can find your own personal favorite. If you're interested in the artistic process, his documentary, Brief Encounters, uncovers the journey behind each of his photos from start to finish. I promise, once you start going through his photos, you won't be able to stop.