I’ve been in love for a long time but I didn’t dare to express it
I get excited just thinking about being with you
I feel good and I love everything that is happening
I feel that at any moment, this beautiful thing could break, and it worries me a lot! BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THIS TO END
I need you to express yourself, I need you to be honest with me
Your messy life
I think I deserve better
Don't make the slightest effort to fix it, so it will be over faster
You think ignoring the problems, will go away but no, the more you avoid them the bigger they become
A man who is with nobody but there I was
I fell in love alone.
Stages of a Love, Photo Essay, Nov. 2023, analog photography, dimensions variable.
This photo essay was created through a collaboration with my friend from college, who is the model of the photos. My friend and I always talked about our love disappointments and she showed some written messages that she could never send to her ex-boyfriends, that although she could never send them, they served as an opportunity to let out her feelings. When I read them I decided to put together a story about the process of a love relationship, from the beginning to the end.
Her writings helped me find my own experiences, as well as my friends and my friends' friends. There is a lot of talk on social media about interpersonal love relationships because it is something that many of us are dealing with. People come into your life without being aware of the emotional responsibility it requires and leave you with a big emotional trauma.
I wanted to create a captivating visual story, open and honest, without any filter that would restrain the expression of the feelings expressed in the writings. To achieve it I made the mood board for the photoshoot. The locations I selected were all in my house, and close to my house; I tried to look for spaces that could represent the feeling of the writing.
As the photographer and art director, this project allowed me to collaborate with an amazing Stylish called Graciela; she has a wardrobe warehouse called “la Rosa Duarte,” which specializes in second-hand fashion, and with the makeup artist, we were able to make my vision come true.
These photos are comfort, emotional support, and personal texts that anyone anywhere in the world can empathize with or relate to. My wish with this story is that the reader can reflect on their love relationships.
Concept, Photos, and Art direction: Nikariy Dominguez.
Stylish: @la.rosaduarte
Makeup: @lesliesoler27
Model and Writings: @yvefiguereo
