It all started with the first picture he posted on Facebook; the enormously popular photography project “Humans of New York” by New York-based photographer, Brandon Stanton, has now gone global. Sponsored by the United Nations, Stanton is now documenting life and the stories of people beyond New York, on a 50-day tour.

His primary project, “Humans of New York”, often shortened to just HONY by fans, is well-known for his portraits of interesting people he meets on the streets of New York. The portraits are accompanied by quotes from the people themselves, giving everyone a look into what life in a big city is like from a personal point of view. The Facebook page has grown to become immensely popular worldwide. Stanton has amassed over 9 million followers since the start of his project in 2011. Here are a few of our favourites:

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On venturing into areas of conflict, often dangerous and typically seen as places to stay away from, Stanton said, “The work has a very humanizing effect in places that are misunderstood or feared.” It’s interesting to see how our perception of a place changes when we come into contact with an individual rather than ‘someone from another country’, serving as a gentle reminder that, at the core, we’re all the same.

Pictures from the tour are posted on the Humans of New York Facebook page and website.