The photographer capturing 'stranger portraits'

Hundreds of thousands of people have watched Mr Lucas' "stranger portraits" videos

"In the same way a nice view might catch your eye, sometimes people just look really sweet - like they're having a nice day or put on a fresh jacket they maybe weren't too sure about."

That's the approach taken by Mitchel Lucas, who has garnered hundreds of thousands views on TikTok for his heartwarming "stranger portraits".

Bristol's streets provide the backdrop for the series, with people captured in iconic spots such as the Harbourside.

Mr Lucas described the city as the "perfect spot" for his work, in which he surprises people on the spot with their portraits.

Some of the most popular videos on his page show the process of finding a subject for a portrait, setting up the shot, taking the photo and then printing it instantly on a mini printer.

Mr Lucas then films himself surprising the people he photographed with the picture, capturing their reaction in real time.

"When I first started this I thought everyone would reject it. I was a bit sceptical to even try, but I decided to give it a go anyway," he said.

"It turns out the reactions are 90% positive - I don't think I've ever had an outwardly negative reaction."

There's a knack to taking candid pictures in this way, Mr Lucas explained - adding that it was best to be a "people person".

"If people notice you taking their picture from a little way away and you shuffle off people might think you're a bit of a weirdo.

"But if you smile and wave, go over to say hi and introduce yourself then it's a much easier and more fun way to go about it."

It's not the first time Mr Lucas has shared his portraits online, but the mini-printer allowing him to hand out the portraits is a new addition.

He previously worked as a musician "so I'm used to freelance life", he said, but turned to photography when gig opportunities like weddings suddenly vanished during the pandemic.

"I started doing [the stranger portraits] a couple of years ago when I first started photography because I couldn't get anyone to work with me so I had to go and take photographs of people on the streets myself," he said.

With photography being a relatively new venture, sharing his videos on social media has proven to be a valuable tool for finding new opportunities.

The whole process is "a lot of work", he said, "but ultimately it's my way of marketing and advertising my paid services".

"I'd much rather spend time making people smile online and stuff rather than putting money into Facebook advertising or something like that."

And while his ultimate dream is to travel, "telling stories about people and places", it's Bristol that he credits with making his journey so far possible.

"Bristol is the perfect spot, if there's anywhere that was going to be open to it, it was going to be here," he said.