What Makes You Alive

I believe every single stranger has a spark worth capturing.

I am Abdullah Chakmakchi. I’m a photographer and storyteller based in Exeter, UK. I started this journey to break past surface-level small talk, stop strangers in their tracks, and document what makes them feel truly human through a quick chat and a raw street portrait. Today, these unfiltered moments have grown into a movement, reaching a global community of millions worldwide.

  • 🌍 Global Tapestry: Expanding the project across borders to connect with international voices and different cultures.

  • 🇬🇧 UK Street Scouting: Documenting raw, authentic human energy on the pavements of Exeter, London, and beyond.

  • 🧠 Real Impact: Leaving every person I meet with a massive boost of confidence while creating a genuine pocket of positivity on the feed.

What Makes Them Alive

FAQ’s

📸 The Street Experience

  • It’s all about instinct. I’m mainly looking for standout personal fashion, a unique aesthetic, or just an undeniable vibe that cuts through the noise of a busy pavement. But more than anything, I look for someone who seems to have a great story written on them, even if they don't realise it yet.

  • Absolutely not. You have 100% control over your story. If we chat or take photos and you decide later that you'd rather keep it private, it stays off the internet. No questions asked.

  • You get your portraits first. I send over the final edits before I even touch the video edit to make sure you are completely happy with how you look.

  • Yes, always. I will drop you a preview link of the draft clip so you can give it the final green light before it hits the social feeds. Your comfort is my priority.

  • All the time. Rejection is just part of the hustle. It depends entirely on the day, the weather, and people's moods. I never take it personally a "no" means it wasn't the right moment for a conversation.

  • Yes. While this project is my main focus, the only other work I publicly share is my street style photography from Fashion Week. Everything else I shoot, whether personal projects or client work, remains completely private. This website is strictly dedicated to raw human stories and the authentic street culture that comes with them.

⚙️ Behind the Lens

  • I use a highly specific, high-end kit built for street portraits. You can find the exact cameras, lenses, microphones, and filters I use daily on my Amazon Storefront.

  • For my photo editing, I use Adobe Lightroom. For cutting, sound design, and piecing together the video reels, I use DaVinci Resolve Studio.

🌍 Let's Connect

  • Yes. While I am based in Exeter, UK, I’m constantly hitting the pavements of different cities across the country, with plans to take the What Makes You Alive project international very soon.

  • I love connecting with new people. Shoot me a message through the contact form on this site or slide into my Instagram DMs. I'll let you know which city I'm scouting next and what days I'll be out on the pavement.

Brand Collaborations

Partnering with brands allows me to take this movement further and tell deeper human stories on a global scale. My community gets the inspiring content they love, your brand gets organic placement in front of millions of eyes, and because every single video is rooted in genuine human connection, it cuts through the digital noise naturally, never feeling like a forced advertisement.

  • 🚀 Millions of Views — Hyper-viral short-form content with massive global reach.

  • 📊 Elite Engagement — An active, deeply invested audience that comments, saves, and shares.

  • ✨ Purely Positive & Brand-Safe — Uplifting, wholesome interactions and cinematic street portraits that elevate a brand’s image.

Media Kit →

In early 2026, I partnered with InExeter to produce a specialised 12-part video series spotlighting the heartbeat of the city: its independent business owners. Shifting the question from individual strangers to local creators, we explored the passion, grit, and stories behind the storefronts. This campaign brought hyper-local storytelling to a massive audience, driving deep community engagement and showing the faces behind the businesses we love.

What Makes Them Alive x InExeter

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