Metro Detroit photographer plays cupid with ‘Stranger Session’ blind dates: How it works

Under a sky of mosaic tile in an explosion of colors, two giddy 20-something-year-olds laughed, danced, shared secrets, and opened their hearts to one another.

It was their first date — a blind date — but their love doctor was no Cupid; instead, it was a photographer.

Karla Sobolev has been a dabbling photography hobbyist since high school. About three years ago, she decided to start K Marie Photography as a side gig to supplement her main job. Since then, she's experimented with all kinds of photoshoots across metro Detroit, from engagements and anniversaries to family portraits and Mommy & Me shots and graduations, even boudoir shoots.

Then, she came across the idea for Stranger Sessions.

“I saw people doing (blind date photoshoots) on TikTok and I thought it was the coolest idea. I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic – my favorite thing to do when I’m not doing photography is probably to read romance novels – so I just thought it was the coolest idea,” said Sobolev.

The idea fits into the one principle that Sobolev had created for herself: to photograph real people experiencing real emotions.

“My style is definitely more candid photography – I’m not a ‘poser,’ I’m not going to pose you – getting people to laugh and just have fun, so I thought this is just going to come naturally, right?" she said. "People are going to be giggly and they’re going to turn around and see somebody, so I thought like ‘Wow, a blind date that you get to take pictures of, then if it works out and they’re a match, how cool is it that you have all these pictures of your first date and when you met?’ So, I thought let’s give it a try.”

She got to work creating an application with everyone's favorite dating app questions: What are your hobbies? What are you looking for in a partner? What are your opinions on politics and religion? Kids? Cats or dogs? Why aren't you currently in a relationship? Can you pass a background check? – and posted it along with a new page on her website for Stranger Sessions.

Once submitted, each application is active until the end of the year as Sobolev works to find a match for each monthly Stranger Session, although she hopes to increase to two sessions a month if she gets enough applicants and enough matches.

With minimal advertising, the received application count for her approaching first Stranger Session quickly ticked up to a solid 40. She got to work organizing the data from the applications into an Excel sheet, looking for dealbreakers that rule a pair out and must-haves that could tie two strangers together.

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Out of the 40 applications, only two individuals – Heather Hersman of Oak Park and Connor McAuley of Livonia – seemed like an undeniable match in her eyes.

They loved animals, had no kids but wanted kids in the future and valued movies and exercise, Sobolev said. She even matched their astrological horoscopes for fun – Aries and Leo – and found they were compatible.

"In their surveys, they both talked extensively about laughing, being goofy, and a genuinely good person who can communicate. They both wanted somebody who was extroverted and kind,” she said.

She reached back out to inform the couple that they'd been matched, and once they confirmed their availability for the first Stranger Session, Sobolev's giddy excitement grew and grew.

“I’ve done plenty of couples, capturing people’s love and their feelings for each other, but never strangers. This is a first,” she said.

She decided the Guardian Building, with its art deco interior of red, green, yellow, and blue, would be the perfect backdrop to the pair's first date, so that's where the three met for the long-awaited session on Jan. 14. Sobolev chit-chatted with the security guards while waiting for the two to arrive and even they were curious to see what kind of love magic her lens could capture.

As each applicant entered the building, she blindfolded them and led them up the stairs until they were back-to-back, and she snapped the moment that Hersman slipped the blindfold from McAuley's eyes.

There was immediate attraction, yet undeniable awkwardness, so Sobolev helped to break the ice between the pair. She prompted them with shared story ideas and goofy questions, capturing the shy grins and sweet giggles as the two got to know each other.

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"Whenever I wanted to get really good candid pictures, I'd say silly things, like 'Whisper in his ear your favorite cereal,' 'Whisper in her ear and tell her what kind of toothpaste you use,'" Sobolev said. "And then it was so funny, because you'd just hear them whispering: 'Colgate!' 'Cocoa Puffs!'"

The lovebirds warmed up to each other more and more as the session went on.

"At one point I had him like leaning over her and their faces were really close together, and I heard him whisper to her, 'We'll get through this together.' I almost melted, I was like, 'Oh my God, now I'm in love too!'" she said.

At the end of the 45-minute session, she noticed Hersman and McAuley were sheepishly hanging back to keep chatting as she was heading out. Afterward, she heard they stayed at the Guardian Building for another 45 minutes sharing stories and things in common before exchanging numbers. Later, she found out they texted nonstop in the days following the session and already got to planning their second date.

Since the session, posts on K Marie Photography's Facebook page and blog about the successful match ushered in more than another 20 applications, broadening the age range between 21 and 72 and bringing plenty of introverts and extroverts, nature-lovers and homebodies, and feline aficionados and canine-enthusiasts one step closer to meeting their soulmates – or at least having an enjoyable outing with a stranger.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: K Marie Photography captures 'Stranger Session' blind dates