Baltimore
A woman with a baby in a stroller passes abandoned buildings in a run-down neighborhood of Baltimore in 2011. Reuters/Kevin Lamarque

Baltimore, aka "Charm City," is getting ready for its close-up. Local photographer Joe Rubino is bringing a "Humans of New York"-style project to the Maryland city. Rubino's version of the Big Apple project by photographer Brandon Stanton is called "Close Up Baltimore."

A friend of Rubino's, who was a follower of "Humans of New York" -- which started as a photoblog in 2010 and became a book in 2013 -- suggested that Rubino launch a similar effort in Baltimore, the photographer told National Public Radio. Last week, "Close Up Baltimore" went public with a Facebook page and Twitter feed. Rubino hopes to tell the stories of 200 Baltimore residents.

For those residents, the project is a chance to offer a different face to the world. The HBO drama series "The Wire" (2002-2008) drew national attention to the city's drugs, crime and corruption, and this year's unrest and riots after Freddie Gray's death while in police custody left Baltimore looking like a war zone at times.

"Humans of New York" was started by stock trader-turned-photographer Stanton, when he posted photos and short stories -- comical, serious or just touching -- about the city's people. The project took off and has been replicated around the world. Recently, the site made headlines when Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton commented on a photo of a gay teen contemplating the future.

The project surely has promise given the cast of the characters who call Baltimore home. We're eagerly awaiting the rest of Rubino's project.