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Seren and her two friends were looking at the menu of Excalibur on Glastonbury High Street. I continued to walk past them, while they were deciding whether to go in or not. I popped in to a charity shop and when I came out the three young women were continuing up the road toward me. As they got nearer I said "excuse me" and VERY quickly went through my spiel. I wanted to get to the "you have to be at least 18..?" bit because I imagined that they were college students.
Seren confirmed that she met my minimum age requirements and I checked that she was happy to take part too. She nodded. I suggested that we walk and talk. We continued up the street together about 10 yards. Then the three checked out the menu in the next cafe. Once they decided that it was OK, the other 2 girls went in. Seren patiently let me photograph her outside. We sat down at one of the 2 tables – neither of which were occupied.
As we sat down I asked if I might take a couple shots with her glasses on, then try some without. Seren agreed. I am glad that she did as whilst her glasses were cool, her eyes were less obscured when she took the glasses off.
Earlier I had offered to send Seren copies of the photos. She had said something like "that's OK", meaning that she wasn't bothered about getting copies. Two minutes later I had forgotten this and offered my little pad to write her email address. Perhaps she had changed her mind by this point as she wrote the email address for me. Maybe it was just less trouble to go along with my persistence. Either way I will be sending copies of the photos to Seren.
Seren is studying art. She enjoys watching TV and reading too. I think that it was horror stories that she likes but maybe I remembered that wrong.
Thank you Seren for delaying your breakfast briefly and spending a little time away from your friends, so that we could make portraits. It was good to meet you. Best wishes with your art and whatever you decide to do afterwards.
You can view more portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family
“Do you know how to work that thing?”
That is how I opened my conversation with the girl holding the hula hoop. It was a far cry from my usual introduction so I wasn’t sure how it would be received. Fortunately my question was answered with a smile, and so began my encounter with my 148th stranger, Cortney.
“Not really…I’m kind-of just learning” was her laughing reply.
I didn’t buy into her total novice claim, and after a little persuasion Cortney agreed to the portrait. However, my challenges had only just begun. We were standing in the middle of a bustling street fair, and in the moment or two I had to survey my surrounding, I did not see any clean backdrops in the immediate area. I simply decided to drop down low and shoot upward in order to capture mostly sky while maintaining a little bit of the festival atmosphere in the lower perimeter.
My second challenge was determining how to photographer her. I was a little bit out of my element in that I anticipated this would be more of an action shot. I decided I would go with a wide angle shot and get right up close to the action (I was essentially within arm’s length of Cortney). I got my ultra wide angle lens attached and then told Cortney to go for it. That’s when she threw me a curve.
I was fully expecting her to twirl the hoop around her waist in the traditional hula sense, so I was surprised when instead she started spinning the hoop vertically around her hand. I have seen shots like this in the past, and it was certainly not my intention to recreate those shots. That said, this was the pose she was offering me so I went with it. In fact I was actually quite impressed with her talent in that she wasn’t just twirling it around her wrist (like I would have), but instead she got the hoop to spin in place (like it had an invisible axel) while using her fingers simply for support. Frankly I am not sure how she accomplished this. ‘Kind-of learning’….yeah, right.
Check out the rest of the stranger street portraits in my project at Paco's 100 Strangers Project and find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
Taking my wife's advice we headed out to my old stomping ground of Newtown which is one of my favourite locations for strangers due to its mix of sub-cultures making the people unique & diverse. Luckily for me it only took 2 minutes after stepping on to King Street that I spotted a tall black figure walking with confidence and sporting a bright red set of headphones. Forgetting to make the hand motions to remove the headphones, I started to speak to the stranger and then realised she couldn't hear a thing. Doh!
Boo (real name Rebecca) was more than happy to be part of the project so we headed into a side-street where I found a plain blue wall that made the ideal BG. My wife popped out the reflector and we got to work. I was really enjoying what I was seeing through the view finder and had already imagined the diptych that I would put together so you could fully appreciate Boo’s overall look and slightly menacing demeanor. She was wearing some really cool sunglasses but I opted to leave these out of the head shot as I wanted to see her eyes which she told me were brown but were blue today due to the contacts she was wearing.
Boo is a local and a multi-talented woman working as a carer for people with dementia. She has also studied fashion design and is a fire dancer in her spare time performing at local festivals around Sydney. Pretty impressive in my books!
I found her to be down to earth and very friendly making the encounter a very pleasant one.
Thanks for being part of the 100 Strangers Project.
This picture is #212 in my 3rd round of The 100 Strangers Project.
You can see my 1st round of 100 Strangers photos here
Round 2 is here
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
While working on my 100 Strangers Project I met Michelle, who was standing outside her office and on her morning break. Michelle is 30 years old and has a degree in accounting and marketing. She presently works in finance and is attending school part-time in order to get her professional accounting accreditation.
Michelle was born and raised in Toronto. When she is not working or studying, she loves to cook and watch movies. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends. The multicultural aspect of Toronto is what Michelle really loves about her city.
This picture is #6 in my 100 Strangers Project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This picture is #82 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at www.100Strangers.com
Kyle is one of the few strangers I've photographed who approached me before I asked him for a picture. I was wondering around outside of Powell's Book store when he inquired if I knew what the bike sculpture was doing in that particular spot. Once I looked up and saw his amazing appearance, I decided to play dumb - I assumed he thought I was a tourist and needed his help in understanding the art. I said "Oh, what exactly is it". He was so friendly and excited to share information about his city that it naturally lead to my asking for a picture. He was absolutely fine with it.
He told me he just moved in to Portland from an outlying city and was living in apt. downtown. He said he was a framer by profession and liked what he did. I asked if the hair and studs coming out of the tops of his ears ever got him in trouble at work. He said "never". When his large dog started barking loudly, I asked if he was able to have the dog in his apt. He winced and looked sideways and said "I'm not supposed to have him there but I haven't gotten caught yet.
I really enjoyed his energy.
Wandering around the tiny alley .. then I feel so good to be a stranger.
Rolleiflex Automat X
Fuji Pro 400H
Venice, 2008
Hanifa , 67 , met him few months ago near panchagarh... He told me that he knew me but i couldn't remeber... Spent a good time talking with him about our current situation in politics... Then i asked him if i can take a photo of him.. and he hapily gave a pose on the camera :)
Not sure if I am doing this right, since I have not approached people in the street. This time I went to get a hair cut and I started talking Chepa about hair style and the most common hair cut he does (fades), it turns that I was the 1st person to get a traditional hair cut the whole week (call me old fashioned).
He comes from a town 6 hour south called Mante, he came on vacations about 4 months ago, but he applied for the jod and 3 day later he was already working. I liked a lot he's tattos and the red walls in the barber shop had a great potential as a background, he did not say yes until I explained the entire project and that it was a public group in Flickr, but at the end I think it worked pretty good.
Thanks Chepa for being my 2nd Stranger. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Group.
www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
Constructive criticism is welcome.
Stranger #52 – Babou
Babou works as a fundraiser for Amnesty international. Her story with Amnesty goes back a long way. When she was 19 as she was just exiting the carnival, she got to talking with a fundraiser for Amnesty and became a contributor to Amnesty International’s cause. Babou remained a contributor for years. Eventually she had to cancel but then the opportunity came up for her to become a fundraiser for them. “It’s like coming full circle.” Babou works in order to pay for her studies in Naturopathy, which aims to heal through natural means, which can be aromatherapy, gemmotherapy. I asked Babou what advice she’d give to her younger self: “Don’t regret anything. Everything has a meaning, it’ll make sense someday.” I asked her what gets her up in the morning when she doesn’t have to: “My dog, whom I love, knowing I’ll cuddle with him.”
Babou took the time to walk and talk with me after she’d been working all day and while curfew was drawing near. Since meeting Babou, I have seen her and her co-workers pretty much every day for a few weeks. I learned from them, day after day. Cheering with them when they had a good day, sympathising with them when they had a difficult one, seeing them pull together and support one another. I’m grateful not only that I got to meet Babou as a stranger but that she isn’t a stranger any more. Thank you for your kindness and your humanity.
Thank you very much Babou!
This picture is #52 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 47th submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
Babou est recruteuse de dons pour Amnesty international. Son histoire avec Amnesty dure depuis des années. Lorsqu’elle avait 19 ans, Babou sortait du carnaval, elle a parlé avec un recruteur de dons pour Amnesty et est devenue donatrice pour leur cause. Babou est restée donatrice pendant plusieurs années avant de ne plus pouvoir le faire. L’opportunité de devenir recruteuse de dons s’est présentée. “C’est comme boucler la boucle.” Babou travaille pour payer ses études de naturopathie, qui cherche à soigner par des moyens naturels dont l’aromathérapie et la gemmothérapie. J’ai demandé à Babou quel conseil elle aimerait se donner à elle même quand elle était plus jeune: “Rien regretter. C’est pas du temps perdu.” Je lui ai également demandé ce qui la fait sortir du lit lorsqu’elle n’a aucune obligation le matin. “Mon chien que j’adore. Lui faire des câlins.”
Depuis que j’ai rencontré Babou, j’ai eu la chance de la voir et de voir ses collègues presque tous les jours pendant plusieurs semaines. J’ai appris avec eux chaque jour. Célébrant leurs succès avec eux les bons jours, compatissant avec eux les jours plus difficiles. Je les ai vu se serrer les coudes, se soutenir les uns les autres. Je suis reconnaissant d’avoir rencontré Babou en tant qu’inconnue mais encore plus reconnaissant du fait qu’elle ne soit plus une inconnue pour moi. Merci pour ta gentillesse et ton humanité.
Merci beaucoup Babou!
Cette photo est la #52 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma 47ème participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe The Human Family
Stranger #54 – Karl
The weather was nice enough that people had flocked to the square. Karl was sitting, smoking, to be fair to him, he looked like all that was missing was a photographer, no posing was needed.
Karl used to do photography, he had to stop in order to focus on his studies. Karl studies law at university. He wants to be able to work in in the movie production business working out film laws. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world. It’s just who knows who, you have to know people inside the business and I don’t know anyone so we’ll see. Maybe I’ll end up being a lawyer like everyone who goes to law school.”
Karl had seemed taken aback when I asked him if I could take his picture, he asked me whether I often asked people to take their picture. I told him it happened to me all the time. I took a few pictures, I chose one where I’d asked him to look off camera.
Thank you very much Karl!
This picture is #54 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 49th submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
La météo était suffisamment clémente pour que les gens se soient amassés place de la république. Karl était assis, il fumait. Il faut que je lui rende justice, la seule chose qui lui manquait était un photographe.
Karl a fait de la photographie, il a dû arrêter pour se consacrer à ses études. Karl étudie le droit pour faire droits du cinéma dans une boite de production. “C’est un monde de requins. Ça fonctionne au piston. Il faut connaître des gens et moi je connais personne donc on verra. Je vais peut être devenir avocat comme tous ceux qui font droit.”
Karl a semblé surpris que je lui demande si je pouvais le prendre en photo. Il m’a demandé si ça me prend souvent. Je lui ai répondu que oui, ça me prend tous les jours. J’ai pris quelques photos de lui. J’ai choisi une photo où il regarde au loin.
Merci beaucoup Karl!
Cette photo est la #54 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma 49ème participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe The Human Family
I thought… It was a little bit dark to take a portrait, although wanted to try one more photo when I saw Soraia. We didn’t chat too much but she agreed to take portrait of her.
Many thanks to Soraia
This picture is #16 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Jon is the boyfriend of Sophie, my stranger 561. They both enjoy cosplay. Jon also collects Pokemon cards and has a keen interest in Origami. He showed me the fancy album in which he keeps his cards. I think maybe he had been buying some today.
Jon also showed me pictures of his origami. It was amazing!! Hopefully he will send me a link to his Flickr account, so that you can see them too. The creatures that he had made from paper were of his own design.
Thank you Jon for being part of my project. It was great to meet you and Sophie.
You can view more portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family
My LEGO Stranger Things cars so far.
I was asked to build Steve’s Beamer for LEGO 11370 Creel House, but the LEGO Icons team went with a different design.
Since I don’t really care for the real car, I built it in a few days maybe, and after my version was rejected, I didn’t spend any more time on it.
Usually I will build a whole fleet of these 6 wide cars (I have at least 10 Blazers in craziest colors), trying out different solves, colors, whatever. Here I built only one extra in blue, and that only because I wanted to see how the trunk will look like using the new 1x3 2/3rd slope, and the dark red paint I have doesn’t match the bricks at all, and looks terrible.
My grey paint matches perfectly though, and I spraypainted some white 11mm rims from the collectible F1 cars, turned them spokes out and although I’m not a great fan of that wheel, I think they would look okay on the BMW.
The WSQK van that I built for myself looks quite a bit like the one that made it into the box. Actually they only differ in small details, I prefer my mirrors, and I could use the ancient chromed exhaust.
I also keep tinkering with the Blazer when new elements appear that make it possible to fix some issues. The new wheel painted black (it’s out in light grey right now, and will come in dark grey in the LEGO City Garbage Truck), makes it possible to add hubcaps, although I don’t know if I should rather have used saucers instead. They are too big, but look better than the 1x1 plates.
Zoe is the girlfriend of my stranger 398, Mark. She told me that she used to swim. Now she is a lifeguard. One of a team of 20. "I save lives" she said. I asked if there were an equal number of males and females. Zoe told me that there were more men. It is more of a blokey job, she said. Or something like that.
Zoe has studied Psychology, Law and Sport. She enjoyed all of these and will be going to University in September to take her education to degree level. I think that she said that she would be studying sport and nutrition.
Thank you Zoe, for being part of my project. It was good to meet you and Mark. Best wishes for your studies and career.
You can view more portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family
I met this beautiful soul at a birthday event for The Buddha.
Buddha's Birthday or Buddha Day is a primarily Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of South, Southeast and East Asia, commemorating the birth of the prince Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Gautama Buddha and founded Buddhism.
The event took place at the Fo Guang Shan Chung Tian Temple near Underwood. We had quite a long chat about the event and the temple which is quite impressive. She told me that everything, apart from what you buy at the various stalls was free . She, as a Buddhist nun, help care for the temple and spent a great deal of time with volunteers and the Buddhist community preparing for the event.
This picture is #99 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Isn't it funny how our personalities are often so easy to read? We were next to her family during the airshow and I had been watching her from behind and admiring her hat, especially up against her shoulders. Most of her family were elderly and she interacted with them gracefully. I didn't get a name for my 4th stranger (will have to work on that) but I complimented her on her hat; she seemed flattered that I would want to take a photo.
If you'd like to learn more about the group or see the work of others, go to www.100strangers.com )
Stranger #43 – Valérian
Valerian is a second year biology student, he hopes to become a physiotherapist. In order to achieve that, there are only 12 spots available in his year. Five years from now, he would like to be a physio and 5 years after that he would like to be an osteopath as well. “There aren’t enough physios at the moment but there are too many osteopaths so becoming a physio first, getting patients and then adding that feather to my cap makes more sense than the other way round. I want a physical job, I want to help people and physio has all that.” We got to talking about his situation as a student in Covid stricken France: “The only thing’s the government’s done for us are announcement effect soundbites. They said they’d offer meals for one 1 euro for students. It’s only a bit of bread and a bit of cheese. If I buy a meal for 3 euros at the university restaurant, I can make it last three meals and eat better than I would with their one euro meal. It’s all talk, there’s no substance.”
Thank you very much Valérian!
This picture is #43 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 38th submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
Valérian est étudiant en L2 de biologie, il espère devenir kinésithérapeute. Pour y parvenir, il devra être dans les 12 places disponibles dans sa promo. D’ici 5 ans, Valérian espère être kiné, puis 5 ans plus tard être kiné et ostéopathe. Il n’y a pas assez de kinés en ce moment mais il y a trop d’ostéos, alors devenir kiné d’abord, se créer une patientèle avant de rajouter cette carde à mon arc est plus logique que l’inverse. Je veux un métier physique ; je veux aider les gens et kiné correspond à ça. » On a parlé de sa situation en tant qu’étudiant au moment où la France est touchée par le covid. « La seule chose que le gouvernement a fait pour nous c’est des effets d’annonce. Ils ont dit qu’ils offriraient des repas à 1 euro pour les étudiants. C’est un juste un bout de pain et un peu de fromage. Si je prends un repas à 3 euros au RU (restau universitaire), je peux le faire durer trois repas et mieux manger qu’en prenant trois fois un repas à un euro. C’est que de la communication, y a rien derrière. »
Merci beaucoup Valérian !
Cette photo est la #43 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma 38ème participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe The Human Family
Bumped into this stranger while shooting images in Split Croatia for the Dutch Canon Grand Prix 2017 as a finalist :-)
All about the idea of this project can be read here:
Carl Zeiss Interview - English
f5.6 − 1/80 - ISO100 - No Flash - Nikon D800 - Nikon 105mm F2 D DC
Stranger #131 - Robert
As I walked around with Robert, he shared with me his life, his past, and his interests.
“Life is simple. You either live it, or you don’t. I wake up every morning, and think about how blessed I am. I read my bible and keep out of trouble. God is everything-- he is my savior. He gives me a deeper understanding of my life, and I have a lot of freedom in that.”
Despite living through the hardships of homelessness, not once did Robert complain about his life. Instead, he told me about what he loved about his life, the freedom he had, the things he was passionate about. I asked him what he was proud of. He replied,
“I’m proud of everyone. You people are so beautiful and do so many amazing things.”
Check out more of other's stranger photos at www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers
As Evan and I headed down towards the city end of Crown Street we walked past a couple standing out the front of a convenience store enjoying a cigarette and overheard a snippet of their conversation. The guy was saying to the girl, “ I've really been enjoying shooting people with lots of freckles lately.” Of course when I heard this I doubled back to introduce myself and ask about their conversation. It wasn't until I started speaking with them that I noticed that the girl was quite attractive, impeccably groomed and had a unique style about her. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, I asked her if she would be in the project and after a brief explanation she agreed.
We moved over so we had a better background and I asked Oneill to hold her cigarette up in that “classic, look at me” way that you often see women do in movies. As it so happens, Oneill is currently studying drama so she instinctively knew what I was looking for and I came away with some very pleasing shots. I really liked her sunglasses but asked her to take them off so I could see her eyes. It turned out to be a very good move as Oneill’s eyes are stunning.
Originally from the Hawkesbury region of Sydney, Oneill now lives in the city where she is hoping that she will find work in film after she completes her studies. Ideally she would love to do art house films and after having a little chat with her I'm sure she is on the right track to achieve this.
Thanks for being part of the 100 Strangers Project and good luck with your acting career.
This picture is #197 in my 2nd round of The 100 Strangers Project.
You can see my 1st 100 Strangers Set here
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
March 26, 2010
New York City
Well here we are. (And I do mean WE. The encouragement from friends and contacts has been invaluable.) Almost two years since I shot my first stranger, we've come to the end. And it's an end that realistically could have come months ago. There were other strangers along the way that I could have used but for whatever reason I decided not too. I never forced it, and usually just went with my gut — until I had one more to go. I started thinking WAY to much about who and what would would make the perfect #100. And since reaching #99 I met and photographed a handful of other people but just couldn't let myself finish. So I got out of DC, (and out of my comfort zone) and took the bus to New York in search of the final stranger. I'd apply the rules of portraits past which was, in reality, there were no rules. If it felt right I'd shoot it. Just as if it was #42 or #60 or any number along the way. And here's how it went down.
After lunch with an old friend on the Upper East Side, I took off to my 3:30 appointment in SoHo on the 6 train to Spring St. And as I emerged from the subway, with about 15 minutes to spare, I saw Jacob. He had a great look, he was in front of a cool background, and he did not appear to be in a hurry. Perfect. Our initial exchange went like this: "Hey, do you mind if I take your portrait?" "No. That's cool." One of my easiest exchanges with a subject to date. He took my card and placed it in his pocket without even looking at it. And admitted to me later I was clearly not the first photographer to approach him. He's gotten so used to it and figured it was just another card from another wandering photographer. And even if that were the case to him, I assured him he would never be just another subject to me.
Jacob is originally from Burbank, CA and, wouldn't you know it, he's a third year photography major at the School of Visual Arts. When asked about his influences he admitted they are always in flux. And since the art world is always changing so do the sources of his inspiration. However his professor Penelope Umbrico and famed photographer Terry Richardson tend to remain high on his list. And with that...we both had to get going.
And there you...uh, I mean, WE have it. Thanks for all the comments and support. And especially to the former strangers I've kept in touch with and now call friends (you know who you are 22, 32, 67, 84 & 94). That part as been one of the most rewarding aspects of the project. So...I better get started on the book.
Today's sunday and most of the people walking around are tourists and/or looking very casual. There are not many people who stand out of the crowd but one was for me. Meet Eileen!
She was window shopping when I noticed her. I tried my luck and wasn't turned down even though she was concerned about being late to her meeting. But she had enough time for a couple of quick shots, so I asked her to walk with me to the nearby tram tracks. I wanted to shoot someone there for a long time but never had the chance.
After asking her to turn her shoulders a little, she changed poses by herself. I was asking if she had experience in posing which she confirmed. Of course, this makes it a lot easier getting different (good-)looking shots - very enjoyable!
Besides taking the shots, we talked about the project and why someone does something like it. Eileen was also happy to give me some more information about herself. She's 19 and came to Munich to become a realtor/management assistant in real estate (I hope this is the correct translation). Before that she spent one year in the US.
Eileen, thanks again for being part of my project! It was fun and a pleasure meeting you.
This picture is #54 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
Please check out my Facebook page and follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/100strangers_muc
Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated!
Stranger 41 – Maël
I almost walked past Maël, he was making his way out of a shop and I was walking past but I just got too curious and had to ask him. I asked him if I could take his picture and he told me no, he asked me what the project was, I explained the project to him. Maël told me he was shy, didn’t like seeing pictures of himself but he liked the project so he agreed to play along.
Maël works in retail. He doesn’t like it very much. Clients can be rude sometimes and that’s something Maël doesn’t like at all. He wants to do a training course to become a dog handler. The relationship between humans and animals drew him to that prospect. I noticed the tattoo on his neck and asked him what it meant. “That’s the Isis cross, it’s a symbol of life, I went through a lot of tough times in my life. Before, I used to get mad at people in fast food restaurants when my meal was late, when my order wasn’t ready. I was rude sometimes. Being on the other side, working in retail, having people be rude towards me made me realise that was wrong. I’m better than that now. We’re animals. Animals are more human than we are sometimes. You see what I mean?”
I took a few pictures of Maël, he was keen on a black background, I asked him if he’d mind if I took a profile view of him, showcasing his tattoo and that was the picture we both liked the most out of the ones I’ve taken of him.
Thank you very much Maël!
This picture is #41 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 36th submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
J’ai failli ne pas m’arrêter pour Maël, il sortait d’un magasin et je marchais dans une autre direction mais la curiosité l’a emporté sur l’inertie et je lui ai demandé si je pouvais le prendre en photo. Maël m’a dit non et m’a demandé quel était le projet. Je lui ai expliqué. Maël m’a dit qu’il est timide, qu’il n’aime pas trop se voir en photos mais qu’il aime l’idée derrière le projet et il a accepté de jouer le jeu.
Maël travaille dans la vente. Il n’aime pas trop ça. Les clients sont malpolis par moments et parlent mal. Il veut suivre une formation pour devenir maître chien. La relation animal homme est ce qui l’intéresse. J’ai remarqué le tatouage dans le cou de Maël et je lui en ai demandé la signification : « C’est la croix d’Isis, c’est un symbole de vie, j’ai eu beaucoup de merdes dans ma vie… Avant, quand ma commande était en retard au fast food, je me mettais en colère, je parlais mal aux serveurs. Vivre ça de l’autre côté, qu’on me parle mal ça m’a fait changer. Je suis mieux que ça maintenant. On est des animaux. Les animaux sont plus humains que nous des fois. Tu vois ce que je veux dire ? »
J’ai pris plusieurs photos de Maël, il voulait un arrière plan sombre voir noir pour la photo. Je lui ai demandé s’il m’autorisait à prendre en photo son tatouage, cette photo de profil a été notre préférée parmi celles que j’ai prises de lui.
Merci beaucoup Maël !
Cette photo est la #41 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma 36ème participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe The Human Family
This picture is #4 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
It was a few minutes before sunset and a cold wind was blowing sand across the beach. There was nobody else around and I was practicing my reflector techniques on Blanca. Then I saw two people on bikes approaching and hurried to meet them and ask if they'd participate in my project. After an initial bemused shoulder shrug, they both happily agreed.
Mark and Hope (stranger #3) are brother and sister and are from Pensacola Beach, Florida. Recently, they pulled up stakes and headed west on a cross-country road trip. Hope is interested in photography and has been showing Mark how to use her camera along their travels. It was not unlike my own trip out to Oregon and we had a nice conversation about it. They had found good jobs in California for a while but then decided to continue on. They both had such a great energy, were witty and funny and full of an adventurous spirit! I really enjoyed meeting them!
Hope was holding the reflector, using the Sunfire side (gold/silver). By this time, the sun had partially disappeared behind clouds, but the reflector really helped to bring light into his eyes. As you can probably tell from the angle, Mark is very tall!
Thanks for participating and best of luck to you both! Contact me to get the pictures.
O'Connell Street - Dublin - Ireland
Biker
This biker guy was standing near his Harley Davidson on the central island of O'Connell Street and he looked like a perfect subject for my ongoing 'Strangers' series. He was perfectly happy to be photographed. As soon as I raised my camera his phone rang so no chance to get his name or some backstory. I took about eight shots as he chatted away to the caller. I thanked him for the photos and made off.
A Stranger - 30 Seconds Project
Actualy a shot before the 30 seconds ;-)) Did not expect at all that she would "doing her hear" for the picture - so this is the very first frame haha ;-)) Love it! :-)
All about the idea of this project can be read here:
Carl Zeiss Interview - English
f5.6 − 1/125 - ISO100 - No Flash - Nikon D800 - Nikon 105mm F2 D DC
‘Strangers’ it’s an ongoing series about capturing love between 2 people who don’t know each other at all. The only thing they have common is the relationshipwith the photographer, me , because it are my friends and I put them together for my lens. Posing in front of camera is a very intimate moment and it’s really interesting to capture this intimacy between two strangers. While shooting you really see an evolution starting from shyness but it always ends in a kind of love.After posing a half day together it always seems they know each other for years.
Stranger #26 – Mathieu
Mathieu is a student at the university of Caen. He’s a 1st year student of literature in order to find a job later while at the same time being a 1st year sociology student for fun. Mathieu studies sociology so as to try and understand the world. He’s particularly interested in the question of truth. Having been involved in politics, he was convinced that his side was in the right and other people were wrong, while on the other side people were thinking the exact same thing. When I asked him what he was proudest of, Mathieu took a while to answer. “I’m only 19, there isn’t much I’ve done yet. My father’s been working all his life to feed his family so out of respect for him, I don’t really want to say, compared to him, I haven’t done anything yet. Some of my family isn’t really organised, they aren’t really intellectuals, some of them haven been to prison. So, being a student at university, having made it this far maybe.”
This picture is #26 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 21st submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
Mathieu étudie à l’université de Caen. Il fait une Licence 1 de lettres moderne pour trouver un travail par la suite et une licence 1 de sociologie « pour le kiffe ». Mathieu a choisi d’étudier la sociologie parce qu’il veut comprendre le monde. Il est particulièrement intéressé par la question de la vérité. « J’ai fait de la politique, on pense qu’on est dans le vrai, qu’en face ils sont dans le faux. Et ils pensent pareil de leur côté ». Quand je lui ai demandé de quoi il est le plus fier, il a mis beaucoup de temps à répondre. « J’ai que 19 ans, j’ai pas fait tant de choses. C’est rien à côté de mon père qui a travaillé toute sa vie pour nourrir sa famille, par respect pour lui j'ai pas trop envie de dire quoi que ce soit. Je viens d’une famille assez bordélique, ce sont pas vraiment des intellectuels, il y en a qui ont fait de la prison. Alors peut être le fait d’être arrivé jusque là, d’étudier à la fac. »
Cette photo est la #26 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma 21ème participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe The Human Family
Liz (#stranger 39).
The only thing that I know about Liz is her name and that she does not come from Holland. She walked towards me with her hood on. That hood gave a sort of halo around her face. She is cheerful, you can see that on her face, she likes to laugh. She does not find it easy to not laugh.
This picture is # 39 in my 100 strangers project.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the
www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
And can also be found on
I was on my way home when I met Marvin, he was going in the opposite direction and I felt like he was someone I’d like to talk to. I didn’t hesitate or think about it, something which I can’t really really explain as I tend to overthink my strangers choice so hopefully a lesson learned. I just said hello and asked him if he’d take part in my 100 strangers project which I explained in a few words. Marvin accepted and was kind enough to walk with me for a while in order to find a less animated street and a better background.
As we were walking Marvin told me he was working in animation films, we talked about briefly about Japanese animation films. Marvin has worked on video clips but wants to focus more on his own projects as a filmmaker. We got to talking about photography and Marvin told me about two photographers I didn’t know and whose work I looked up afterwards, Jamel Shabazz and Larry Clark.
The sun was shining bright and rather low which caused the issue of the sun blinding Marvin, something I often fail to foresee and which I should keep in mind for the future. Out of the few pictures I took, Marvin prefers this one to the ones where he’s smiling, a choice I respect even though he’s got a great smile ! Talking with him was very interesting and encouraging. He gave me a lot of confidence about this project.
I should have found a composition without the tree in the background, just blue sky. But at least this time there’s less headspace.
Thank you very much Marvin !
This picture is #6 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 1st submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
J’étais en train de rentrer chez moi quand j’ai rencontré Marvin, il allait dans la direction opposée et j’ai eu le sentiment que c’était quelqu’un avec qui j’aimerais parler. Je n’ai pas hésité, je ne peux pas expliquer cette absence d’hésitation puisque d’habitude j’ai tendance à trop réfléchir lorsqu’il s’agit de prendre ma décision pour aborder des inconnus, j’espère donc avoir appris la leçon. J’ai juste dit bonjour et je lui ai demandé s’il aimerait participer à mon projet 100 strangers que je lui ai expliqué en quelques mots. Marvin a accepté et il a eu la gentillesse de marcher avec moi pour trouver une rue moins animée et un meilleur arrière plan.
Alors que nous marchions, Marvin m’a dit qu’il travaillait dans le film d’animation, nous avons brièvement parlé de films d’animation japonais. Marvin a travaillé sur des clips vidéos mais il veut se concentrer sur ses projets personnels en tant que réalisateur. Nous en sommes venus à parler de photographie et Marvin m’a parlé de Jamel Shabazz et de Larry Clark que je ne connaissais pas et dont j’ai ensuite consulté le travail.
Le soleil brillait et était bas sur l’horizon ce qui posait problème du fait que Marvin était ébloui, quelque chose que j’ai parfois du mal à anticiper et que je devrai garder à l’esprit à l’avenir. Des photos que j’ai prise de lui, Marvin préfère celle où il ne sourit pas, un choix que je respecte même si je trouve qu’il a un super sourire. Parler avec lui a été intéressant et encourageant. Il m’a donné beaucoup de confiance pour ce projet.
J’aurais du trouver une composition où l’arrière plan ne contienne pas le feuillage de cet arbre. Au moins cette fois, j’ai pensé à ne pas laisser trop d’espace au dessus de sa tête.
Merci beaucoup Marvin !
Cette photo est la #6 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma première participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe The Human Family
I met Naa-Adei on King Street West in downtown Toronto. She and her friends were checking out Fashion Week in Toronto and she was more than happy to take part in my strangers project.
Naa-Adei is 22 years old and is a student at George Brown College in Toronto. She is taking courses on fashion design and she also does modeling part-time. Naa-Adei was born in Montreal and moved to Toronto four years ago.
In her spare time Naa-Adei loves shopping for clothes. Her favourite neighbourhood in Toronto is Queen Street West.
I have posted a photo of Naa-Adei with her friends in the comment section.
This picture is #98 in my 100 Strangers Project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
bonjour!
hello!
long time no see!
finally i have advanced into my fourtieth stranger!
her name is Patricia
she is a high school student, but when i met her in this occasion, she was a platoon commander of her high school-platoon in the high school drill competition [in Indonesian: Lomba Baris-Berbaris Purna Paskibraka Indonesia] at the Yogyakarta City Hall.
at first i did not notice her. But when i saw her performed her role as a platoon commander, well, i was impressed, charming, in my opinion :D
then, the problem arised, "how can i get to know her?"
a friend of mine, who is the alumni of the same high school as her, voluntarily dragged her to me, hahaha so lucky!
she smiled a lot, in my opinion, showing that she had already shown her best, asking me some question about "100 stangers project" which i explained in easy way~
after talking for some minutes, she agreed to be my fourtieth stranger, yay! i told her that i'd take her picture with my digital SLR and my Pentax 6x7 since i brought those camera
oh, i told her also, that she could smile widely of just a formal smile (because she was still using her commander uniform), she did both but the wide smile captured by my Pentax 6x7 whose film has not been processed yet.
took 2-3 shots with my digital SLR and 2 shots with my Pentax, because the light was so good, i could capture with only ISO 100
thank you Patricia, hope you get your dream university next year!
This picture is #40 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Posed street portrait for my 100 strangers project, taken in Paris, France
This picture is #7 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Elvira study in Paris the technologies for making the infrastructures services more accessible to persons with disabilities. she was an intern in a compagny and was about to come back to Russia where she grew up.
She was very happy and enjoyed to pose for this series of portraits.