![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VJK4I5KDJ34NSW22JE6OOCF3YI.jpg?smart=true&auth=06579054009db3bad19e4b9527f6187c257e3674b73c956203d79f5206a8d198&width=400&height=225)
'I get a lot more yeses now ... It's a lot easier to get strangers to agree to do these photo shoots because they see I have a large following.'
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TFMLUSC3YM33TJRRLNL3MALOKI.jpg?smart=true&auth=5974a7dd86fbad84d47738df16872a629b2b362dd35b26ee969927c2804da2ae&width=400&height=225)
Alex Stemplewski has become famous for his portraits of complete strangers. All images courtesy Instagram / alexanderthegreat
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OOBWKPLXK5WG5VZ6X2FSI33DFY.jpg?smart=true&auth=49cd7544776dd1e7027c153f8cb13c4cddc4f7c78cf96f18979f12c5267968e1&width=400&height=225)
The photographer has more than 10 million followers on TikTok.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JBDTWPYLKCCKAESS22K5Y4JGE.jpg?smart=true&auth=63d0363093b2f9ddfd44b7065dd6418506279fecfd0730bfa6afde4cdb915959&width=400&height=225)
He started his project in March 2019.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JT7X5FUXIEGLCME2XSMVA7VZHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=cd68b9a8068ee5e8f31a9929aed3b938c9637466a2976ec1894eb14de3614e6d&width=400&height=225)
He documents the entire experience with videos he posts to social media.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W7X6R4LO2OPOVRMKHRNZRX4CVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=2183e42ad23c227d631b6319e2b6b67df87376f09b87b97df579fd76756826c2&width=400&height=225)
His subjects are often stunned by the results.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJ6R6DDQKGLI5YB6FSZG5YFFYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=47be408c813e709ac00e6d3bd971b211af8268a72c537a6a3c8714426f14ca0a&width=400&height=225)
The impromptu shoots have gained him a legion of online fans.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SKNEA6AAI7BGLUQVGGN427HIKE.jpg?smart=true&auth=19dabcc5da733952036e51eb212fa6f5f52bcdc75e07ff7547cc9f6a7f9be5f4&width=400&height=225)
Stemplewski works with a Sony A7R 3.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VJK4I5KDJ34NSW22JE6OOCF3YI.jpg?smart=true&auth=06579054009db3bad19e4b9527f6187c257e3674b73c956203d79f5206a8d198&width=400&height=225)
'I get a lot more yeses now ... It's a lot easier to get strangers to agree to do these photo shoots because they see I have a large following.'
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TFMLUSC3YM33TJRRLNL3MALOKI.jpg?smart=true&auth=5974a7dd86fbad84d47738df16872a629b2b362dd35b26ee969927c2804da2ae&width=400&height=225)
Alex Stemplewski has become famous for his portraits of complete strangers. All images courtesy Instagram / alexanderthegreat
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OOBWKPLXK5WG5VZ6X2FSI33DFY.jpg?smart=true&auth=49cd7544776dd1e7027c153f8cb13c4cddc4f7c78cf96f18979f12c5267968e1&width=400&height=225)
The photographer has more than 10 million followers on TikTok.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JBDTWPYLKCCKAESS22K5Y4JGE.jpg?smart=true&auth=63d0363093b2f9ddfd44b7065dd6418506279fecfd0730bfa6afde4cdb915959&width=400&height=225)
He started his project in March 2019.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JT7X5FUXIEGLCME2XSMVA7VZHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=cd68b9a8068ee5e8f31a9929aed3b938c9637466a2976ec1894eb14de3614e6d&width=400&height=225)
He documents the entire experience with videos he posts to social media.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W7X6R4LO2OPOVRMKHRNZRX4CVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=2183e42ad23c227d631b6319e2b6b67df87376f09b87b97df579fd76756826c2&width=400&height=225)
His subjects are often stunned by the results.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJ6R6DDQKGLI5YB6FSZG5YFFYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=47be408c813e709ac00e6d3bd971b211af8268a72c537a6a3c8714426f14ca0a&width=400&height=225)
The impromptu shoots have gained him a legion of online fans.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SKNEA6AAI7BGLUQVGGN427HIKE.jpg?smart=true&auth=19dabcc5da733952036e51eb212fa6f5f52bcdc75e07ff7547cc9f6a7f9be5f4&width=400&height=225)
Stemplewski works with a Sony A7R 3.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VJK4I5KDJ34NSW22JE6OOCF3YI.jpg?smart=true&auth=06579054009db3bad19e4b9527f6187c257e3674b73c956203d79f5206a8d198&width=400&height=225)
'I get a lot more yeses now ... It's a lot easier to get strangers to agree to do these photo shoots because they see I have a large following.'
How Alex Stemplewski has racked up 10 million followers by photographing strangers
The photographer, who has amassed an incredible following on TikTok, only picked up a camera for the first time last year
![Samia Badih](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F9b278735-3a96-4889-a974-b48d06e06ed2.png?smart=true&auth=1d1d9244dd618698e42a226a717dceb2987b5bf92f549395933ba4970f7caf10&width=70&height=70)
Samia Badih
01 November, 2020
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