Multimedia journalist Julia Xanthos immortalizes fleeting, intimate moments of couples on the streets of New York City through her black and white photography.
She said usually couples “don’t care about being photographed”, with some asking her for the photos after she has taken the candid shot.
“Because who wouldn’t like a picture like that at the beginning of their relationship?” said Xanthos.
While the 36-year-old photographer attaches the hashtag ‘#YoungLove’ to her portraits of love, she said these images are not so much about the age of her subjects involved, but the affection that was expressed.
She told TODAY News, “You should keep love ‘young’ at all times, right? Young and light. Even for a couple who have been together for a long time, I’m not saying they should live in the past, but why not remember the innocence and the sweetness of what it was like in the beginning.”
Xanthos also revealed that her photo project has helped her to heal from a heartbreak, which led her to abstain from dating for two years.
The recently engaged photographer said, “Taking pictures of people kissing has helped me heal my heart and also open it up at the same time. There’s no hashtag for it, I’ll say that. It’s just been the most beautiful experience of opening my heart up to somebody who is so incredible and is the love of my life. I don’t know any other way to put it.”
Check out some photos below and head on over here to bask in more lovey-dovey moments.
#younglove #nyc #happyvalentinesday 💕❤️💗💕 @nydailynews
[via My Modern Met, images via Julia Xanthos]