Photographing the Meaning of Love

Photography has always been an incredible avenue for storytelling. The power of love has always proven to make a special impact on an image.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked a few PhotoShelter members to share photos that represent the complex, deep and eternal concept of “Love.” They came back with beautiful, personal and emotional stories told through their work.

How would you photograph the meaning of love? What themes and memories come to mind? If you have an image that fits, we’d love to see your work. Tag @photoshelter on Instagram or Twitter so we can share!

Cover photo by Tiffany L. Clark

Isabella De Maddalena

“I took this photo in October 2015, while I was working on a campaign to raise awareness regarding the theme of motherhood for couples where one of the partners is suffering from multiple sclerosis. 

This moment in which Giusy and Vinod, expecting their first child, are holding each other’s hands, contains the meaning of what love is for me. The union in the differences, in the difficulties and in the key moments of our life.

For Vinod, the disease of Giusy, who was discovered to be affected by MS in 2011, has never been an obstacle.”

Mark Richards

“This is from my love that has saved my mind and body. I am a runner. MT Tam as we call it around here in Marin County California. I am 65 now. I have ran in the rain, the heat, through divorce, cancer, radiation treatment in the head for that cancer. I run because I have such a love for it, it is part of me, I would have died long ago without it. The MT gives to me, I give back my all that I can for as long as I can.

This is with my dog, whom died at 17. Running  was bound up with Mt Tam and the dog, Oolong. She was energetic and a pain in the ass, but I loved her. She would run at 95 degrees or 35 degrees. She had heart, there will never be another dog like her. If that ain’t love what is?”

Tiffany L. Clark

“I photographed the last hour of my grandmother’s life, from the moment the doctors disconnected her breathing tube to when she took her last breath of air. These images represent love for me in strength, the strength of my mother, the strength in myself and the strength of my grandmother. 

It represents the love between mothers and daughters, through 3 generations. It represents that never ending love that continues beyond death. My mom wanted my grandmother to feel that everyone was with her on that day, including my grandfather who had passed away a little over 15yrs earlier, and symbolized that by placing my grandparents wedding photo on her bed. Seeing the love that my grandparents had for one other was something I had always cherished and what represented the meaning of love to me.”

Love and photography; two universal languages that mean so much to so many. There is no doubting the uniqueness of using photography to illustrate love in a way words can’t.

Thank you to these photographers for sharing their special photos and personal memories. If you have a photo of love you’d like to share, tag @photoshelter on Instagram or Twitter or leave a link in the comments below!