Stranger Sessions

From left, Ian and Katie, posing strangers. Photo by Justine Johnson.

She had seen the experiment before, photographers inviting strangers to pose together in hopes of fostering new connections. Now, photographer Justine Johnson is starting her own matchmaking experiment.

Are you looking for love or friendship? Check a box.

Johnson, who lives with her husband and son in Portland, posted a casting call at the beginning of summer looking for people who would be game for such an experiment. The shoot would be gratis, she explained on social media, you just need to be open to the experience and honest about who you are. “I've always loved taking pictures of people," Johnson said. "I would go to family get-togethers and just take candids of people where I felt I could really capture them." It was a trait that Johnson realized came from her grandmother, Mary. Mary was the family historian, Johnson explained. Thousands upon thousands of photos of intimate family gatherings exist because of Mary's sharp eye and desire to make time stand still in those tender moments, and Johnson took up the role full time when the family matriarch passed away a few years ago.

"I don't think it was until after she died that I was describing her to somebody and they were like, 'Oh, she was like you!'" Johnson said. "I'm similar to her in the way that I love to archive things, to take notes. She journaled every day -- not so much a feelings journal, more like 'What I did today.' It had the temperature, her meds, notes about who called, and what she and my grandfather watched that night."

As the years passed and her photography and editing skills grew, Johnson thought perhaps photography could become a career. "I was working retail at the time and was like, I could probably do this professionally," she said. "I was 21. I posted on Craigslist to see if I could get some weddings to shoot." She quickly started building a portfolio offering free shoots, and her first wedding was an elopement at Portland Head Light with a couple who otherwise wouldn’t have had any photos of their union.

Courtesy of Justine Johnson (and son!)

“It was great; they were so kind," Johnson said. "They sent me a typed thank-you letter saying how nice it was." Johnson spent the next few years shooting all the weddings that came her way, but soon realized she also liked the smaller, more intimate shoots. So, she started doing more portraits, which expanded to pet photography, boudoir shoots, and more. One day, she saw an out-of-state photographer post a "stranger session" on social media and got excited by the idea.

“I didn’t know of anybody in Maine who’s done it, so when I saw it, I thought, that’s so cool! It’s exactly the type of social experiment, merged with photography, that I love the idea of," she said.

Within a week of posting a casting call on a Portland Facebook group, Johnson had over 200 people sign up to be matched and posed for a stranger session -- after assuming she’d only get a handful of people interested. Applicant ages ranged from early 20s through 60s, with one woman in her 70s looking for love.

The pairings for the stranger sessions aren’t random: Johnson requires applicants to fill out questionnaires. “I wanted to make sure my bases were concrete with dealbreakers. Like: Are you open to someone having kids? Are there any political or religious beliefs you don’t jive with? Other things are more subjective, like, what’s your ideal first date?” she explained. The questionnaire was created by Johnson to help her better match people for the shoots, and she said she takes it seriously that people feel comfortable with each other during their sessions -- turning her into an intimacy coordinator of sorts. "I want people to feel genuinely comfortable and natural together, and to facilitate an environment where they feel good and comfortable and open," she said. "I also love data. Getting to match people based on similarities or complements is very cool to me. I didn’t expect it to blow up.”

Once on the proverbial blind date location, Johnson will constantly check the comfort levels of her subjects as she asks them to pose together. “The first couple were definitely a little shy; the second couple clicked immediately," she reflected. "The photos from the second shoot I did look like an engagement session.” The couple from her second shoot soon forgot Johnson was even present as they chatted the whole time, discovering commonalities and making plans to meet the following weekend. “I was like, oh my god!" she laughed. "It was so fun.”

Johnson said the majority of people who reach out to her are interested in a romantic connection, though some are just seeking friendship. “I haven’t done a friend shoot yet, and I think that will be my next one because I’d love to see how it differs." Johnson is cognizant of the struggle to find connection parasocially; she met her own husband through a MySpace search (which she initiated) in 2005. And though she's had success with her stranger session shoots, she insists she isn't a real-life matchmaker. "I've never successfully matched any of my friends," she admitted. That doesn't stop her from taking her applicants seriously, especially when so much trust is on the line.

"I love the idea that someone is going to stay connected to whoever they're matched with -- even if it is just friendship," she said. "It's really exciting to find new friends as an adult. The biggest thing for me is the idea that they'll find a connection." For matches who stay together, Johnson is considering offering a free follow-up shoot next year as a little anniversary gift.

"I'm somewhat of a history-keeper; I have families come back for portraits year after year," she said. "I've had wedding clients turn into family shoots as the family grows and evolves over time. I like being that storyteller . . . I've always been really drawn to photography for that reason. That is what photography is, pointing toward a moment in time."

Perhaps, one day soon, Johnson will shoot the wedding of a couple she matched. In the meantime, check out Johnson's site here justinejohnsonphotography.com.