Ya Ya and the World: Hufvudstadsbladet in Helsinki, Finland: June 17, 2009

Taru, Joni, Sara, Tiia.

Photo dedicated to Jeanette and Hans.

The Story

A little explanation on yayaandtheworld.com… As this project commenced, I was traveling quite a lot and I wanted to meet people and make some friends. Also, it is important for me to connect with those whose paths crossed mine. I discovered a list of things holding me back: admittedly, I am painfully shy with deep fears of pretty much everything (people, rejection, spiders, it’s all there). Like all of us, I have a need and a desire to conquer my fear. With need, comes creative solutions. I was slowly building a portfolio of travel photos as well as frustration that my photos were so boring as I was the lone person posing, in my frumpy clothes and awkward facial expressions blocking the backdrop of a beautiful landmark. I devised a plan that would only work with the help of complete strangers I met on my travels (the faces in these photos are all strangers turned friends). With the rush of a racing heart, I ask random people who happen to be in the same place at the same time, to pose with me in my travel photo. I hoped that this project would create a common connection, force me to meet great people, overcome my biggest fears, and leave me with some very interesting photos. To date, it has been fun, and continues to be successful.
This project that I have loosely been calling, “My own personal peace project” is based on the idea that if we have a common connection everywhere we go, we will never feel alone, we can tear down the walls of prejudice & anger toward others, feeling that we have a common connection no matter where we are.
Thank you to all who have been willing to pose with me. These photos have created some of my fondest travel memories.
Enjoy the photos, maybe you will recognize other familiar faces.