The Inherent Awkwardness Of Cuddling Some Random Dude
November 19, 2013 6:21 PM   Subscribe

A short video clip about an artist who takes pictures of stranges acting like they're old friends or lovers or relatives. Surprisingly touching and beautiful photos ensue.
posted by WalkerWestridge (14 comments total) 19 users marked this as a favorite
 
:,)
posted by slater at 6:29 PM on November 19, 2013 [2 favorites]


I've been looking for a link available in Canada (CBS has restricted the clip to the US)... anyone found one?
posted by KokuRyu at 6:52 PM on November 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


anyone found one?

The photographer's name is Richard Renaldi, which brings up a bunch of duplicates on a YouTube search for me. I'd hope one of them works for you.

Alternatively, maybe this liveleak will work?
posted by timfinnie at 7:15 PM on November 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


Here's Vimeo

The link to the CBS YouTube upload doesn't display anything here in Canada, so thank you for mentioning his name. It was easy to find a region-free video after that.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:08 PM on November 19, 2013


This is great. The Vimeo link and the original YouTube link are both worth watching (if you can see them both). The nice thing about the YouTube link is that it includes interviews with the subjects about the experience of being photographed, and the intimacy that it created.
posted by alms at 8:45 PM on November 19, 2013


Beautiful.
posted by schwa at 8:46 PM on November 19, 2013


These are so wonderful. This photographer Richard Renaldi has a lot of work worth exploring on his webpage http://www.renaldi.com/.
posted by gubenuj at 8:58 PM on November 19, 2013


No way is she 95.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:00 PM on November 19, 2013 [3 favorites]


We saw some of this photographer's work in this previous post several years ago.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:59 PM on November 19, 2013


If it is true that smiling makes you feel happier, than it follows that acting attached/involved/familial with someone is going to make you feel caring. Like method acting, if nothing else.

Truth is, it's not you that people don't like. It's your strangeness. Stop being a stranger, you get different results. Probably because we're packed together more, we're more inclined to keep strangers as strangers, so we don't care. It's self-defense. Perhaps it's an out-of-order instinct kind of thing we need to get over, for the sake of happiness and city life.

In Breakfast Club, Ally Sheedy asks Molly Ringwald, "Why are you doing this?" as Molly shows her how to maker herself over. Molly answers, "Because you're letting me.". Maybe that is as true as it felt?
posted by Goofyy at 2:33 AM on November 20, 2013 [3 favorites]


Yeah I think people can be extremely difficult to interact with and set boundaries with, and the barriers are often there for good reasons. I like this project, but I confess encouraging a minor to be more accepting of touch from strange men was not my favorite thing.

That said, I still like it overall. Humans can damage each other more deeply than they realize, but they can also heal each other and enrich each others lives more than they realize.
posted by xarnop at 7:04 AM on November 20, 2013


I hope his project comes out in book form soon - I think it's fantastic.
posted by helmutdog at 9:58 AM on November 20, 2013


OMG the bro-dude with the adorable little girl. SO FREAKING CUTE I CAN'T HANDLE IT
posted by Mooseli at 1:56 PM on November 20, 2013


That was so lovely, it really did bring a tear to my eye and a sigh to my heart. What an awesome idea, and what a great result.
posted by greenish at 2:22 PM on November 20, 2013


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