Article content Once or twice a week Justin Veenema will stand at a busy Vancouver intersection with two cameras sitting low on his hip while he watches people go by. He’s waiting for a vibe. Veenema lets dozens, or sometimes hundreds of people pass before he finds the right person, couple, or dog to photograph.
“I look for people who I think have a story to share, people that look interesting or smart or fun. I try to pick up on someone’s vibe, and that leads my decision.” Veenema, 36, started approaching strangers in Vancouver 65 days ago, asking for permission to take their photos and posting them on Instagram.
His reasons were personal. The project offered him a way to deal with his social anxiety, to reach across the invisible gap that separates strangers from each other. In a matter of weeks, the photos he took for his Stranger Project ( on Instagram) were garnering thousands of views.
Although one clip of a woman walking a bunny has almost 20 million views, he doesn’t have any ambition to become an influencer. “My goal is just to connect with people, share my photography, meet cool people and make friends,” said Veenema. After growing up in Chatham, Ont.
, he moved to Vancouver in his 20s to work in tech, and was captivated by its mix of people and cultures. “I loved it, I’d never seen anything like it,” said Veenema. After a few years, he left to explore other cities.
When he returned to Vancouver last year, he found it was more difficult to meet pe.
