'Escape,' 2012/2013. (Danila Tkachenko)

Many people have the desire to find solitude, flee society and become one with nature. In his photo series and book, entitled “Escape,” Russian photographer Danila Tkachenko captured portraits of individuals who did just that.

Tkachenko’s photos show men, living in the homes they have created for themselves in the forests of Russia and Ukraine. Instead of calling these men hermits or dropouts from society, Tkachenko calls them “Escapers.”

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According to one of the “Escapers” his first two years living out in the wilderness was difficult. During one winter he woke up with frozen fingers and had to cut them off.

“Each of us must have the courage to survive,” the man said, according to Tkachecko’s book. “So I gave myself an order: survive! And “surviving’ means living! I feel much better here. I don’t like people, don’t like talking to them. Wherever you go, people chase you and try to impose their disgusting ways of life on you and force you to join their gloomy and absurd community.”

To see more of Tkachenko’s work visit his website. To find out more about the book, “Escape,” visit Peporoni Books website.