See Five Photos of Strangers Touching in Chicago

The Palos Heights–raised art photographer Richard Renaldi has spent the past six years cozying up to strangers. “I was always curious in how different people relate to each other in a group,” says the 45-year-old New York University alum, who approaches his subjects at street corners and public landmarks and asks them to pose in overly familiar positions. “I probably get about a 40 percent rejection rate.”

But he still managed to snap the 73 photos that appear in Touching Strangers (Aperture, $30), out this month. For the stories behind those he took in Chicago, see below.

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Richard Renaldi: The stories behind four Chicago photographs

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