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Photographer Takes Photos Of Strangers, Then Asks Them To Smile And Takes Another One (10 New Pics)
A smile is such a simple yet effective gesture to convey one’s feelings. We can smile to greet, thank, show love, sympathy, and even affection. When we smile, we are inviting others to smile as well and pass this positive gesture on to others, which in return leads to a lot of positivity. After all, there’s a saying that goes along the lines of “Smiling is more contagious than the flu!”
Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Weinstein, who is an Australian-born photographer and traveler. Back in 2013, he began traveling full-time to see the world and its people. Over the course of his adventures, he witnessed a man transform right in front of his eyes as he said a simple word—“Smile!” just before taking a photograph, and it marked the beginning of his project, “so I asked them to smile.”
More info: Instagram | Facebook | soiaskedthemtosmile.com
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
"She was walking around the massive Brahma Sarovar Lake with a friend, the perfect end to a hot summer's day in Kurukshetra, Haryana, India...so I asked her to smile."
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
She's beautiful in the first photo, but in the second one, she really shines.
Right now Jay travels around the world and takes pictures of strangers asking them to smile, also including a little back story to his pictures too. Of course, this isn't the first time we've featured Weinstein’s work here on Bored Panda, and if you’d like to see more, then go ahead and click here, here, and here.
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#2
"She was walking with friends, one overcast afternoon, exploring the streets of Fort Kochi, Kerala, India...so I asked her to smile."
Lilou S. Pumpkins 4 years ago
Checked the comments just to see if anyone else thought so!
Load More Replies...
#3
"He was playing with his family one morning, as the warm sun rose in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India...so I asked him to smile."
#4
"He was at the little roadside shop with school friends one afternoon, as I photographed people through the clouds of dust and heavy winds in the crossroad market of Kiritiri, Eastern Province, Kenya...so I asked him to smile."
#5
"He was sitting outside his small shop one afternoon, as I explored the historic streets of Karaikudi, in Tamil Nadu, India...so I asked him to smile."
#6
"He was walking toward me one evening, as I explored the outer edge of Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India...so I asked him to smile."
8Yorkies-and-57cats 4 years ago
This is so wholesome; he's smiling with his eyes and looks so kind!
Effseven Six 4 years ago
He has some interesting stories behind his eyes. I wish I could hear him tell me some of them.
Lyone Fein 4 years ago
Another photo where the person seems so sad, and smiling is a strain. There are ashes smeared on his forehead.
Jude 4 years ago
Younger people forget that as a person ages, skin and underlying tissues sag. What looks like a calm face at rest on someone young can look like a sad or grumpy face on older. --- To me, at least, his smile looks like a quietly happy moment at being asked to smile.
Load More Replies... #7
"She was walking down a busy street as evening arrived in Fitzroy, a colorful suburb of Melbourne, Australia...so I asked her to smile."
Lyone Fein 4 years ago
She looks so upset to me. In the second photo, she seems on the brink of tears.
#8
"He was offering his respects with hundreds of other locals, as the vibrant Jagannath Ratha Yatra procession passed by on the humid streets of Mayapur, West Bengal, India...so I asked him to smile."
Bel Momento 4 years ago
I prefer the non smiling ones, because it shows the person deep thoughts. Asking someone to smile can produce a fake expression
#9
"He was walking with friends, as I photographed the residential streets of Port Melbourne one afternoon in Melbourne, Australia...so I asked him to smile."
#10
"He was walking through Uhuru Park one afternoon, as workers on their lunch break hustled past others sat on the sturdy green grass lawns surrounding the small boating lake in Nairobi, Kenya...so i asked him to smile."
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What do you think ?
Cosmin Nichifor 4 years ago
Omfg. After reading lots of comments, I totally lost my faith in humanity. Why can't you enjoy the beauty of human diversity, the beauty of smiles, the beauty of photography and so many other things? Why investing time by typing a comment that is hateful or bad or sarcastic or idk...why so much negativity?
Lovin' Life 4 years ago
Same. For many people, a gesture as simple as a smile can change someone's whole day. They are free and contagious. Spread that s**t like wildfire!!!!
Load More Replies...
Logic and Reason 4 years ago
Wow, people with an expression typically associated with happiness look happier. Crazy.
Lovin' Life 4 years ago
I find all people beautiful but when they smile its magical. You can almost see the laugh lines throught their lives. AMAZING PHOTOS! I love this! Thanks for sharing
Paul Davis 4 years ago
See? This proves beyond a doubt that middle-aged men like myself are completely in the right for creepily insisting young women serving them at stores smile more!
Aliquid 4 years ago
Your level of sarcasm is confusing me and I don't know how to respond to that.
Load More Replies...
LivingTheDream 4 years ago
wait... I thought asking someone to smile was creepy and toxic masculinity.... did they change the rules again?
William T Hicks 4 years ago
Really? This is a discovery? Ok..it's "bored panda"...prolly a perfect story for this.
Lyone Fein 4 years ago
I do not agree with the photographer. Why insist that other people should conform to your view of how they should appear or feel? The smiles in some of the pictures look so forced, and the person's eyes are still sad.
Tamra Stiffler 4 years ago
You are assuming he insisted they smile. Perhaps he told them about his project and asked if they'd like to participate?
Load More Replies...
MiriPanda 4 years ago
Oh dear, this feels like we are back to square one with telling people to smile 'because they look so much prettier' when smiling. What if that person has just been told horrible news, lost their job, is suffering from depression or God knows what? And there comes a**hole, ignorant me telling them to smile? Perhaps we should start asking sad looking people if we can help them in any way instead?
Cosmin Nichifor 4 years ago
Omfg. After reading lots of comments, I totally lost my faith in humanity. Why can't you enjoy the beauty of human diversity, the beauty of smiles, the beauty of photography and so many other things? Why investing time by typing a comment that is hateful or bad or sarcastic or idk...why so much negativity?
Lovin' Life 4 years ago
Same. For many people, a gesture as simple as a smile can change someone's whole day. They are free and contagious. Spread that s**t like wildfire!!!!
Load More Replies... Logic and Reason 4 years ago
Wow, people with an expression typically associated with happiness look happier. Crazy.
Lovin' Life 4 years ago
I find all people beautiful but when they smile its magical. You can almost see the laugh lines throught their lives. AMAZING PHOTOS! I love this! Thanks for sharing
Paul Davis 4 years ago
See? This proves beyond a doubt that middle-aged men like myself are completely in the right for creepily insisting young women serving them at stores smile more!
Aliquid 4 years ago
Your level of sarcasm is confusing me and I don't know how to respond to that.
Load More Replies... LivingTheDream 4 years ago
wait... I thought asking someone to smile was creepy and toxic masculinity.... did they change the rules again?
William T Hicks 4 years ago
Really? This is a discovery? Ok..it's "bored panda"...prolly a perfect story for this.
Lyone Fein 4 years ago
I do not agree with the photographer. Why insist that other people should conform to your view of how they should appear or feel? The smiles in some of the pictures look so forced, and the person's eyes are still sad.
Tamra Stiffler 4 years ago
You are assuming he insisted they smile. Perhaps he told them about his project and asked if they'd like to participate?
Load More Replies... MiriPanda 4 years ago
Oh dear, this feels like we are back to square one with telling people to smile 'because they look so much prettier' when smiling. What if that person has just been told horrible news, lost their job, is suffering from depression or God knows what? And there comes a**hole, ignorant me telling them to smile? Perhaps we should start asking sad looking people if we can help them in any way instead?
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