“Like A Painting”: 80 Beautiful And Surprisingly Intimate Photos People Took Of Strangers That Had The Internet In A Chokehold

Some 50 years ago, we could hardly have imagined always having a camera in our pockets. Nowadays, we take pictures of everything: our salads, a cute bee outside, panoramic views during vacations, and even document the progress of pimples on our faces. Some research suggests that an average adult has about 1,598 photos in their camera roll.

But some photos we take might turn out to be accidental masterpieces. One recent trend on TikTok has people sharing snapshots they took of strangers that looked so good they wished they could send them to the subjects in the photos. It all started when the user @lincaitt shared a photo a stranger had taken of her on the streets of Paris, and AirDropped it to her. Amazed by the result, others rummaged through their camera rolls and found similar pics they took of strangers that ended up looking like accidental paintings.

Bored Panda got in touch with Caitlin, and she kindly agreed to tell us more about what it felt like having a beautiful photo of her snapped and shared in that way. Read our conversation with her below!

Image credits: lincaitt

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I Still Love This Photo From 2023

Final score:

30points

People Wish They Could Send These 80 Incredible Photos They Took Of Strangers To Them

I Still Love This Photo From 2023

This Photo I Took At The Istanbul Airport I Still Look And Smile

I Took This One Of A Mum And Her Baby At The Trevi Fountain Last Year, It Was Too Precious Not To Capture

Still Deciding Whether Or Not To Send This To The Host Of Our Bed & Breakfast

Me And My Friends Watching The Sunrise And This Man Coming Up To Us To Send It To Us

They Left Before I Could Show Them

Looks Like A Painting I Wondered Who They Were

A Stranger Took This Picture Of Me At The Aquarium The Other Day And I’ve Cried Real Tears About It

Found The Couple On A Facebook Group And Was Able To Share This Photo With Them

This Girl On Her Pink Bike Zipped By At Perfect Time. She Doesn’t Know It Exists

Eiffel Tower 2018.. They’ve Never Left My Mind

This One Is My Fav. It’s Like The Stages Of Love

I Wish I Knew Who These People Were Every Day I Took It Off My Hotel Balcony

I Cherish This Airdropped Photo Of Me In Morroco Travelling Solo And Super Shy To Ask Anyone For A Photo

Took This One In Switzerland

They Don’t Even Know This Photo Exists

A Girl Air Dropped Me This While I Was Solo Traveling And I’ll Never Forget It

I Tried But She Couldn’t Understand Me

Just Quietly Watching My Oldest Son Fall In Love For The First Time

I Think About All The Stories They’ve Probably Shared

A Woman Snapped This Of Me And My Husband - It Was My Due Date And We Were At A Wedding

I Regret It Everyday, Not Getting This Picture To Them (Geneva, Switzerland)

Wish I Could Have Sent This To Them

I Love This Pic And Wish I Could’ve Sent This To Them

I Regret Not Sending This One

The Way The Light Hits Their Hands Just Perfectly

This One That I Took In Switzerland

Also Regret Not Sending This

They’ll Never Even Know

I Got This Picture In Chicago (She Was Soo Happy To Have A Picture With Her Kids)

A Really Sweet Girl Airdropped This To My Sister, Aunt And I

They’re Both In Their 90s Asleep In The Afternoon Shade

I Was In A Rush And They Don’t Know This Pic Exists

Someone Took This Of Me And My Ex Best Friend Having A Moment

Caught This Moment Between A Mother And Her Baby In A Park In Vienna, Forever Regret Not Sending It To Her

Airdropped This To The Two People Sketching — It Looks Like A Photo But It’s A Mirror

I Took This On My Canon Camera At Haleakala National Park In April And I Wish These Girls Could See It

I'm Afraid She Will Never Know

I Was Never Able To Find This Group Of Friends After Taking This Photo In Arches

My Contribution. Had To Snap A Pic Of This Sweet Couple I Saw In Spain. It’s My Fav Pic From My Trip

Idk Them But I Hope They’re Friends Forever

Wish I Knew How To Airdrop

Didn’t Catch Her, But I Wish I Did

Wish I Could’ve Got This Photo To Them

Maybe They Will See This From Minneapolis

A Lady Sent This To Me Of My Husband And Son

Wish I Coulda Sent To Them

Airdropped This In Sicily Last Year

Took This Photo Of An Older Couple Looking At The Ocean From Afar. I Now Regret Walking Over And Offering To Send It To Them!

They Will Probably Never See It But I Wish I Had Sent It

One Of My Favorite Pictures

How I Feel About This Couple I Saw While I Was In Jamaica

Always Wish I Could’ve Sent This Photo To This Family

The Graffiti Said Love Wins. I Hope They’re Still Together & Happy 🥺

I Never Got To Share This One

While I Was In Spain I Quickly Snapped This Photo Of This Beautiful Bride Who Was Admiring Her Bouquet At Park Guell In Spain. I Wasnt Able To Airdrop So I Tried Going Up To Her But The Crowds Came In And I Lost Her

Loved This Moment In NYC!

Airdropped It To Them As They Got Down

Wish I Could Send This To Them!

This Couple Had Taken 0 Photos Together That Day And Were So Grateful To Finally Have One

Idk It Makes Me Feel Happy

Took This On A Boat Of A Random Man And Never Got To Send It To Him

I Was On The Seine And Saw Them Above And Had To Take A Pic

Young And Old Love In Florence Italy 🥹

In Jordan One Day, During Sunset Time, Don't Know Them But It Was So Beautiful

Took This In New York Last Year

When I Was In Italy

Made This Photo Of A Couple In Porto 🥺

I Took This Pic Of A Couple Last Year I Hop They R Still Together

A Family Picnicking In Austria

I’m Just Too Shy To Tell Them

I Took This Picture Of A Couple In Venice. By Far One Of My Favourite Pictures. They Loved It 🥹

I Wish I Got To Send This Photo To The Couple In It

Photo I Took Of A Lady Watching Sunset, Philippines

I Can Finally Share This 🥹

No Idea Who They Are ❤️in Prague

I Did This And I Couldn’t Find Them

Took Some Courage But They Were So Happy With This Picture

I Accidentally Took This Pic In A Club, I Wonder If They Are Still In Love?