Local Photographer's snapshots of peoples' faces intended to make a statement

Michelle Bir is collecting faces. She has 51 so far. The goal is 365. The faces are part of an evolving project for Bir, a local photographer.

She wants to showcase the diversity of the Fayetteville area by photographing people from all races, ages and walks of life and displaying the pictures in a wall-size collage.

The project, which Bir calls “Face Collector,” also may include a 3D component, in which people can view the 365 faces through a model of the human brain.

“It’s so hard to explain,” said Bir, who is open to suggestions about the project. “It’s going to be evolving, and I have a lot of time to do it.”

Bir, 33, grew up in the Detroit area and moved to Fayetteville in 2014 with her husband, who is in the military.

One of Bir’s passions is photographing abandoned buildings. In the past two years, she has scoured the area, taking pictures of old schools and other structures. She also occasionally takes photographs for The Fayetteville Observer.

The idea for “Face Collector” came to Bir recently. Although she doesn’t intend the project to be political, Bir said current events played a role in the idea’s inception.

“I was thinking a lot about the political things that are going on and why people are so scared of each other. Some people are scared of other people based on the way they look,” she said. “I don’t want it to be political, but I definitely want it to be a statement piece.”

Bir is applying for grants for the project, even as she works out details of its scope. Her goal is to have it completed by the end of the year.

The photographs Bir has been taking are simple head shots, the kind of picture that wouldn’t be out of place on an ID card.

So far, the pictures are mostly of Bir’s family and friends. That includes her husband, mother and father.

“Everybody I’m related to,” she said with a laugh. “They didn’t have an option.”

But Bir wants to expand beyond that. She is determined to photograph a variety of faces that represent Fayetteville’s racial and cultural diversity.

Bir is hoping to contact people who will let themselves be photographed. She can be reached at birenterprises@yahoo.com.

Most of the pictures will probably be taken at the Market House, Bir said - it’s a central location that most people know.

“It’s really quick,” Bir said of the picture-taking process. “It’s like two seconds.”

In compiling the pictures, Bir has had to deal with the fact that a lot of people don’t like having their picture taken. The subjects are quick to pick up on flaws and after all, nobody’s perfect.

But Bir said those imperfections are exactly what she’s after.

“I want it to be about community and embracing flaws and things like that,” she said. “I want it to be representative of Fayetteville, like a snapshot.”

Staff writer Rodger Mullen can be reached at mullenr@fayobserver.com or 486-3561.