Spencer Tunick shoots in Mexico

Do you know Spencer Tunick's photos?



I used to find them disturbing.
Then again, he used to put out a call for naked people and shoot at dawn, guerrilla style* in grotty places, so sometimes they sort of were disturbing.
One used to hear about him rushing onto a location with dozens of naked people, shouting arrangements quickly and shooting moments before being arrested.
As he's been recognized more as an artist, his shoots have become more, uh, refined.

Yesterday, Mr. Tunick photographed 18,000 people in Mexico City's largest public square.
And he wasn't arrested.



I'm guessing the stuff on the bottom of the picture are the participants clothing.
And though he does still shoot early in the morning, I would guess that now it is due to the environmental conditions rather than avoiding any legal confrontations.




It would appear that he can take some time to set his shots now.

A few years ago K and I met a couple who knew him and we talked about some of his shoots. When we got home we signed up on line to participate in one - I can't remember where anymore. But we never heard from anyone and forgot about it.

I think it would be an amazing event to take part in...



And I also think that some of the photos taken during the shoot are just as fascinating as the finished products.



One could certainly have a great time writing captions for this picture.
But, all humor aside, it must be a moving experience.



And so, what I had originally felt to be de-humanizing,



may in fact be incredibly humanizing.






*no permits, no lighting, no assistants, no money...