100 Strangers
From my 100 Strangers Project - Brandon gladly pulled off his headphones to talk when I asked him what he was listening to (The Fugees) on a Charlotte side street. He was surprised that I knew them, and I was surprised he was listening to something that old. We agreed that Lauryn Hill is a genius.
From my 100 Strangers Project - This is Amayra, her mom and auntie at the India Festival held yearly at the NC state fairgrounds in Raleigh. There were groups of kids putting on cultural performances and it seemed like they all had one or two stressed out parents in tow.
From my 100 strangers project - Tonya from Raleigh was in the coastal town of Beaufort, NC to attend the annual Pirate Festival held there because it’s the final resting place of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard’s ship.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Al was starting to feel a little anxious. He’d gotten separated from his wife at the flea market and was getting ready to go look for her. He declined my offer to help and told me that he was sorry for not smiling.
From my 100 Strangers Project - In Charleston, SC, it seems that many of the working-class people are in the service industry. I found Joquandre and a companion having a smoke behind the brew/pub where they work. I don’t think I have ever photographed a friendlier person.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Eric and Lisa were hanging out with the other Drama Club kids outside the Arts Center downtown when I asked them to pose, which they did in totally appropriate fashion.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Her name is Isabella. She is from Ghana in West Africa. I had a bowl of spicy peanut butter soup she prepared and brought to me in her restaurant.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Sarah, a history teacher, dressed in antebellum clothing
From my 100 Strangers Project - I asked, “What’s your name, young man” and he said “Bobby, sir” and every time I see this photo, I think “There’s Bobby, sir.” That’s his sister with him. They were at a park down by the Congaree River in Columbia, SC.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Lydia - The very first street portrait I ever took. It was totally spontaneous. This woman walked by my wife and I on the sidewalk with our cameras and spoke to us. I instantly asked he if she let me take her photo. She told me she’d modeled some before tattoos.
From my 100 Strangers Project - I didn’t even ask Bob and Sherry about the beer cans they were wearing around their necks. I’ve always loved the fun look in her eyes in this photo though.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Daniel was a Civil War re-enactor for the winning (Union) side at the Battle of Ft. Fisher near Wilmington, NC.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Rusty was at the West Columbia Riverwalk Park in Columbia, SC walking his dog when I asked if I could get his picture. Despite his punk rock appearance, he was a seemingly shy, soft-spoken man with a very friendly labrador for a companion.
From my 100 Strangers Project - DJ was fishing off the pier at Sunset Beach in Brunswick County, NC during the annual blue fish run when I interrupted him long enough to take this portrait.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Meg was sitting at a table on the sidewalk outside a bar, doing a little day drinking and having a smoke on a crisp December afternoon. Her comment when I explained my project - “How fun!”. And, she said it with a big smile. I love the reflection in the window.
From my 100 Strangers Project - I met Shawn and Erica at a demonstration jump by the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team who are stationed at Ft. Liberty adjacent to the town where we live. Erica was happy to pose for me. Shawn was a little reticent and reserved, but a good sport, nonetheless.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Stone (his name) manages this tattoo business. A few days after I shot this, I saw him again and we had a conversation. Turns out he is a photographer too. We talked about it for a while. He looked me up on Facebook and we’ve now been friends for 10 years.
From my 100 Strangers Project - I met Jenny at a craft fair, where she was smoking this big old stogie and composing poetry on a cloudy spring Sunday. How could I not get a picture of that?
From my 100 Strangers Project - Eric and his partner were waiting for breakfast outside a busy diner when I approached them. He seemed kind of grumpy and I didn’t think I was going to get this one, but she told him it was OK, so in the end I got my man.
From my 100 Strangers Project - Office Scott. I couldn’t tell if she was flattered or embarrassed, but she was cool with having me snap a photo. I take picture of police officers because it’s good for them to get used to it. I’m not pushy or confrontational about it and most of them don’t mind.
