The Pretty Martian Women started by accident after a fateful shoot

I've always enjoyed combining photography with body paint. It allows me to visualize skin as a multicolored mess of textures that isn’t limited by pigmentation. With this series I stepped outdoors opening my work to the beauty of nature , using non-toxic paint and stepping away from my subjects, letting the environment dictate the photo.

The images captured since provoked an extraterrestrial sentiment…a Mars–like terrain inhabited by a stunning colorful Martian. I felt inspired and over the next years continued to explore landscapes with incredibly dedicated people. We would go on wild early morning missions to capture otherworldly environments. As the series evolved, I focused on the perspective of voyeuristic explorers (astronauts). Imagining as they observed these exotic creatures celebrating life, seeing the numerous colors of their skin swirling and shifting while they made love.

Every shoot was an expedition full of adventure and unexpected challenges. This series was shot entirely in Puerto Rico over the course of a year. Our locations ranged from nude beaches at 5am, rivers located next to city centers and private farms used for movie shoots.

The collection is a dream, a study in beauty and sexuality where we observe the lovely creatures who color the landscapes of other planets. It’s the project I’ve been most excited about.

I firmly believe the best people in life are not driven by money, they're driven by the passion and beauty of their dreams. Astronauts are a great example of this; they risk everything for fleeting moments that can expand the horizons of humanity.

Mars is just the first of many.

- Senén Llanos