Copy and Paste Your Face

I never forget a face. You'll have to tattoo your name on me so I don't forget it, but a face stays in my mind forever. Unfortunately.

This is how it goes: If I've ever seen you on Facebook, or in passing with a friend of a friend, I will remember. And when I run into you, I smile or say hi. You then shoot me a weird look, or maybe feel flattered because you think a little blond girl is hitting on you. There's a lot of blushing and physical tension, and we both walk away. 

I just.... always remember faces, and it can make my life kind of awkward. 

It's facial features. We recognize patterns and proportions, muscles and wrinkles. But I remember the swagger in a cocky smile, the droopiness of a pissed off mouth. I even like crooked teeth, because they help build the story.

Anyway. I've always had a theory that the reason why people look alike is because there's a limited number of ways people could look. Certain noses, eyes, hairlines, chins, etc. are reconfigured and repeated in faces. I've had my share of twins. Francois Brunelle has got this all figured out.

Danielle Boucher and Jovette Desmarais

Alex Bartosik and Victoria Stusiak

He's a Canadian artist who has been working on a long-running photography project 'I'm Not a Look-Alike', in which he photographs doppelgangers. Brunelle's photos have already gotten a ton of press coverage, but deserve more than 15 minutes of fame. At least 20 or so would be good. There's something really magical about these long lost non twin look-alikes.

A whole bunch of other unrelated twins

So the truth is out, I'm big on doppelgangers. If you've ever seen Mulholland Dr., David Lynch really twists his storylines with doppelgangers. (I'll say no more; If you haven't seen it yet, do it. Right now.)

Since I'm really feeling this, I thought I'd go out on a limb, and share my own personally captured twins.

Brents Pix and Dogwelder, via Flickr

Party fire hydrants, these fratboys are brothers from another mother.

Daniel Hurst Photography and Laurie Melissa Photography, via Flickr

Tire swinging. Separated at birth.

00 images, Andrew Lively, chemicalbrother7, HoraVarlan via Flickr

Lonely clouds all look the exact same.



What is the conclusion one can draw?

Chances are, your photography isn't original. Neither is your face.

(But hey, I never forget a face.)