2020 Project - 52 Strangers

Don’t live the same year 89 times and call it a life.

Growth begins now, at the end of your comfort zone.

-marchandangel

Charlie, a "stranger" from a free shoot at Gardens of Angels 2019

For 2020 I wanted to pick a project that would take me out of my comfort zone, that would help me grow and that would let me continue to highlight the goodness in the world.

During my 2019 Project 52 , Random Acts of Kindness, I noticed more and more people who were bringing joy and kindness into the world in their own unique ways. Many times after encountering these people I wished I had taken the time to ask them their names and learn more about them. It was through these missed opportunities that this year's project was born.

52 photos of 52 strangers in 52 weeks

Seems easy enough, except.....

I’ve never been the person who can walk into a group of strangers and make friends. I'm uncomfortable and awkward when it comes to making conversation with people I don't know well. I hate small talk and have always been shy and unconfident. This idea gives me butterflies in the pit of my stomach, that feeling where you are scared and excited at the same time. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories but the thought of randomly approaching 52 people that I’ve never met before and asking if I can take their pictures will definitely be a challenge for me.

I am purposefully not putting many perimeters around this project. The main reason for that is because I have a hard time following rules, they feel confining when I'm working on a creative project. But it also gives me the flexibility to let the project flow and unravel in a more organic way.

The only 2 guidelines that I'm giving myself are:

1) I need to have 52 photographs by the end of the year (not necessarily 1 a week)

2) They all need to be of people that I've never met before.

I will be posting updates on my Facebook page and will have a page set up on my website for this project soon. If your interested in following along feel free to like my page https://www.facebook.com/KirstenEngelPhotography/

Here’s to a great 2020 filled with excitement, joy and new friends!