Stranger 79/100 – Crystal

Stranger 79/100 – Crystal

“Please talk to me like I’m someone you love.”

Meet Crystal.

What advice would you give to your younger self? “Listen to your elders. {laughs}”

That sounds wise. Is that something you didn’t do when you were younger? “Yeah, I’ve done a lot of kicking myself through the years.”

What advice were they telling you that you didn’t listen to? “Be careful who you hang around with… your friends and stuff. Birds of a feather flock together.”

I always heard that you’re the average of the five people you hang around with the most. “Definitely… that too. I have a very small circle of people that I trust.”

What are your biggest challenges right now? “Being open. It’s hard for me to open up sometimes. I’m a little more reserved… introvert.”

I am too. Does that keep you from doing things you want to do? “Yeah, it’s like, I don’t know, just the fear of rejection. I guess that’s a really silly thing, but I’ve overcome a lot of it over the years. It’s inevitable.”

Where do you want to be in ten years? “I’m a cosmetologist… that was one of my goals. I want to be financially stable, not have to work… as hard anyways. I love helping people… anything that involves helping others, I’m very passionate about. You have to give back… I feel like I want to give back to people.”

How would your friends describe you? “That I’m very easy going, very loving and just maybe not as approachable. I would say I’m very friendly. I’m very open to suggestions. Give me my space, I’ll give you yours. I’m very open to hearing other people’s opinions and ideas.”

If you could put a billboard up in Charlotte, what would it say? “Please talk to me like I’m someone you love.”

Technical Notes: I chose this photo, the first one we took, because of Crystal’s simple, elegant expression. It was incredibly windy that day, and Crystal’s hair was flying in every direction for most of the shots. I used a reflector to lighten up the right side of her face.