Cool Hunting

For most people, the thought of approaching a complete stranger on the street and asking to take their photograph is an incredibly daunting task. It's easy to forget about the uncomfortable meeting when you look at Richard Renaldi's photographs. In his images of strangers he's encountered on the street or in bus terminals, the people always look relaxed and comfortable, as if they had a previous relationship with their photographer. When you also consider that his images were made with a cumbersome 8x10 view camera, Renaldi's skill as a photographer and negotiator is truly inspiring.

But in his latest series of photographs called "Touching Strangers," the photographer pushes his social talents even further by not only asking random strangers to pose together but also to physically touch one another in the process. The series explores how notions of trust, social conventions and taboos are expressed through body language.

You can see more of these images on the artist’s website. You can also read an extensive interview about this series on the Conscientous blog.