Paris is for Lovers
People getting a bit intimate in the most romantic city in the world.
Today is Valentine’s Day, and I wanted to share the seemingly large group of photos I collected while we were in Paris of people hugging, kissing, and getting cozy with one another out on the street.
I often ask myself, especially when I’m out on the street, why do I go out and photograph people? What is it about this specific style of photography that makes me so obsessed and keeps me walking miles and miles? In my opinion, it’s essentially the hardest form of photography because nearly every element is out of your control. All you have is the frame lines to put your subject in and the instinct to press the shutter at the right time. Outside of that, it’s up to the streets to present something interesting, funny, or beautiful for you to document. So, again, why do I subject myself to the torture of street photography? There are so many other pleasant forms of photography that involve a much higher level of control and don’t require an endless amount of miles walked to finally capture something halfway decent or capture nothing interesting at all. The number of days I’ve walked miles and miles in the southern heat only to be left with nothing is too many to count.
But the photos I want to share in this newsletter are part of the reason I think street photography can be so beautiful. It’s the reason I keep going out day after day. Moments like these are where you get a peek into a stranger’s life and wonder what their story is. It’s the best parts of humanity right on display on the sidewalk. It’s beautiful. I love making these pictures.
One thing I've heard all my life about Paris is that it’s so romantic, and to be honest; I thought it was a cliche that was a bit blown out of proportion. But then you get there, and it starts to make sense. There is something in the air, I swear. Or maybe it’s all the wine you drink… I don’t know. But what’s even funnier is you see it while you are out. Every couple is snuggling. In restaurants, park benches, in the middle of the sidewalk, it’s everywhere. But I get it. When you see that, it becomes contagious in a lot of ways.
I’ve photographed couples on the street before; that’s not new to me, but I wanted to share photographs from Paris because I miss this city so much, and I believe it’s the most romantic city I’ve ever been to.
I’ll share more Paris photographs soon, but I wanted to kick it off with some of my favorite couples I saw on the street. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Much love ❤️