In August 2011, I became aware of a flickr group called 100 Strangers; I could hardly believe my good fortune. See the site HERE.  As the name implies, the goal is to meet 100 people that you have never met before, and ask permission to photograph them. Plus, a short description of the encounter including the person’s name is required – “hit and run” shots are not consistent with the philosophy of the group. The group only allows one post per day, so the project will last for at LEAST 100 days, but you can take as long as you like. It took me about six months. HERE is my set of Strangers:  

If this genre of photography appeals to you, I cannot overstate how helpful this group can be.