#TakenByStrangers

In a world where everyone is busy and in a hurry to get somewhere, is it still possible to slow down for a complete stranger?

#TakenByStrangers is an ongoing personal documentary in which I walk up to a random person and ask him or her to take my photograph, giving both photographer and subject the opportunity to look at each other in the eye and stay in the moment.

Despite appearances, I am actually very shy, which is why I’ve taken it upon myself to get out of my comfort zone and do this once a week or two.

I usually just approach the person I’m standing next to. One was a very dignified looking black man who was over six feet tall. I can never forget how neatly pressed his gray suit was. His wife wore a bright orange turban. Another one was a lovely young Turkish lady whose shiny brown tresses were spilling out of her beige veil. She was waiting for her husband to come out of the mosque. Yet another one was a porcelain-skinned lady whose high cheekbones and cherubic features reminded me of my friends Punky Villena and Aia De Leon from back home. Most of these photographs were taken while I was transiting in the Vancouver area.

I find it immensely fascinating to see the many ways strangers from different cultures have framed me.

I can’t wait to meet you.