François Brunelle’s unique photographic project, "I'm Not a Look-alike!", dives into the intriguing concept of doppelgängers—unrelated individuals who bear a striking resemblance to each other. Born in Montréal, Canada, Brunelle has devoted his life to the art of portrait photography, drawing inspiration from both classical Dutch painters and modern photographers. His work emphasizes simplicity and clarity, capturing the essence of each subject.
The 'I'm Not a Look-alike!' project originated from Brunelle’s own experiences of being frequently mistaken for the comedian Mr. Bean. This sparked his fascination with human likenesses and propelled him to explore this phenomenon globally. Traveling extensively, Brunelle has photographed over 200 pairs of look-alikes from different countries, focusing not just on their physical similarities but also on the subtle nuances that characterize their individuality.
Each portrait set tells a story of identity and connection, challenging viewers to question their perceptions of uniqueness and commonality. The project not only highlights the serendipitous beauty of human resemblance but also underscores our shared humanity, making us ponder the mysterious intersections of life paths that can make strangers resemble long-lost kin.
Brunelle’s work invites us to see beyond the surface, contemplating the deeper threads of likeness that bind us all, making "I'm Not a Look-alike!" a compelling narrative of discovery and reflection.
Marie-Chantal Perron is from Lachine, Canada. Nancy Paul is from Greenfield Park, Canada Nancy Paul’s likeliness to well-known actress Marie-Chantal Perron is very strong. To the point that she is not sure what her real name is! Being a dental assistant, she feels flattered to be taken for Perron who shines in many movies and television series.
Stepanoff is from Bastia, France, Maillard is from Paris, France Marcel and Ludovic work in Paris, in the film and television industry. One morning, a young lady, very much in love with Marcel, came very, veryclose to her lover, but it was Ludovic, happily surprised by the confusion.
They often pretend, for fun, that they are brothers. Marcel is Corsican, Ludovic is Parisian.
Ayanna Bryant, a full-time student and Lindsey Sampson, a massage spa coordinator, were roomates in College and were asked by many people if they were related. One day they were together at Lindsay’s home and Lindsay’s mother would not stop staring at Ayanna, being struck by their likeness. Both women live in Atlanta, USA.
Both born in Germany, they met in Japan, while travelling and fell in love. They are asked very often if they are brother and sisters, which they aren't. Juergen is an IT consultant and Meidje an opera director and both live in Amsterdam.
Charles is from Columbus, GA and Michael from Miami. They met for the first time through mutual friends while Charlie was playing in a band that was raising money for a fund raising event. Charlie works in IT and Michael is an office manager. Their friendship has lasted for more than 15 years and they love playing out their « twinness «
Jessica had a boyfriend. This boyfriend was Jeanne's best friend. Everyone was confusing both of them, except for the boyfriend. This one isn't in he portrait anymore but both girls remained friends since.
“Most non-asian people think that the Chinese look all the same but it is very far from the truth. I feel lucky to have met Ashlee, my «sister» during an Immortal Chinese Lion Dancing event. Some people think we look similar but Ashlee is definitely a taller person.” Karen is a nursing student and Aslee a nurse.
Daniel is from Spremberg and Aurelia from Pasewalk, Germany Both are journalists living in Berlin. When they met the first time, Aurelia’s hair was very coloured and, according to Daniel « weird-comic» looking. They became friends and then fell in love,The fact that they may look-similar never came to their mind. As Aurelia got her hair back to more natural, then people started to see their likeness and call them brother and sister. One of the photos from the look-alikes photosession was used for the invitation to their wedding.
Pedro is from Malaga and Albert from Barcelona. Pedro is working in IT and Albert is an interior designer. Both live in Madrid. Their friendship was born throught the internet and their respective families were the ones to point out the likeliness. They don’t try to look-alike and prefer to hear it from other people as it comes.
Both born in the Netherlands. Agnes met a man on a train who started a lenghty conversation with her like if he knew her very well.They then realised that Agnes was in fact the doppelgänger of Ester. Agnes contacted her throughout Facebook and they became best friends. They think that not only do they look the same but they have the same character and same interests for music, clothes, Agnes is a musician and Ester an educational director.
