Valentine’s Day is over for another year but despite what capitalism may say, love is all around us all the time.
And what better way to prove that, than with a load of beautiful photos capturing moments of romantic, platonic and filial love?
The Love 2020 contest is the latest photography competition hosted by Agora – designed to challenge photographers to capture what love means to them.
Over 11,000 photos were submitted and Agora has narrowed them down to just 50 images, with the winner being announced tomorrow (18 February).
So if you’re feeling a bit glum on this wintery Monday, let these beautiful photos warm the cockles of your heart. Whether you’re single, partnered, or somewhere in between, these images are proof that all kinds of love exist in every corner of the world…sometimes in the least obvious places.
Family love, @adeelchishti – Pakistan
‘Sisterhood at its fullest: the pure essence of love between three sisters. The elder ones take great responsibility and pride in educating the youngsters.’
You know nothing, @kirill_golovan – Ukraine
This tribute to Jon Snow and Ygritte was taken in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Woman and dog at home, @evablanco – Spain
Eva says: ‘Here’s a friend of mine, Alba and her beautiful golden retriever dog. A dog is part of the family, and everyone who has a pet knows this feeling.’
We sure do!
Wedding date, @thecrowface – Italy
Two lovebirds in a rainbow, @florianbrioude – Malaysia
Wholeheartedly, @jayeshvijuda – India
‘It started raining as I was heading home, at that moment I spotted a mother and her child trying to stay dry under a plastic blanket. They warmed my heart!’ remembers Jayesh.
Ulos, @georock888 – Indonesia
Geologist Korchnoi says that this area is famous for its Ulos handwoven textile fabrics.
When he visited, ‘the craftswoman’s grandson hugged her from behind, and she welcomed him with a happy smile.’
Two en route, @ainurcy – Kazakhstan
Ainura explains that: ‘Love is like walking a road hand-in-hand with your beloved one’.
‘This shot was taken secretly during a travel blogger tour to Eastern Kazakhstan. Simone and Romina, Italian photographers and travel bloggers were posing for another vlogger’s video. I had my camera on hand and couldn’t afford to miss such a shot.’
To love, @fdileluyar – Turkey
‘When you love someone, you get rid of all the chaos that surrounds you and focus only on that special feeling,’ says F. Dilek Uyar.
‘Time stops and everything else loses its importance. It was so hard to take this photo because goats don’t really abide by photographers when it comes to striking a pose.’
The purest love and protection, @zebunnisa – Pakistan
The love of brothers, @rynessa – USA
‘I was working in a ranch to take pictures of my client’s horses,’ recalls Rynessa.
‘His grandchildren were very curious about photography. They were spending all their time together, but as brothers, they also fought and hugged each other. The way they expressed their love to each other was so pure and innocent.’
The Kiss, @anskar – Namibia
The strong bond, @AsimIjaz – Pakistan
Asim says: ‘The little angel was seeing her aunty for the first time in months. I just came out of my car and heard her shouting for her aunty, then she just ran towards her for hugs and kisses. It was a magical moment of pure love. Aunties have a very special place in the kids’ hearts.’
Rome, the city of love, @maky&matt – Italy
Maky and Matt ask you to ‘Dance like nobody is watching!’
‘Rome can be a pretty busy place, but we managed to get its main tourist attraction just for ourselves simply by getting up early. We got to capture a romantic moment of two of us which we will always remember.
‘Rome is the city of love for us. It’s such a romantic city where you can’t help yourself but dance with your significant other, give them rose and hold their hand.’
Mom and son love, @huydangpham – Vietnam
Lovers Bridge, @leemumford – Spain
‘The famous Bishops Bridge in the Gothic Quarters tends to be used for a variety of photoshoots,’ says Lee.
‘I planned this shot a few days prior and my view was to capture locals long shadows as they walked down the alley. After checking the weather and the position of the sun, I jumped at the opportunity when I saw a clear morning.’
Mother love, @jevgemij – Lithuania
This is a photo depicting the photographer’s wife and newborn son ‘enjoying the love they have for each other’.
Mother’s love, @Hedayet1000 – Bangladesh
‘A Bengali mother is travelling by train with her child. They were enjoying the view from the window with absolute joy, playing and laughing together in their very own bubble.’
Romantic morning, @muhammadjabir – Indonesia
Muhammad says that Bali Island is one of the most beautiful places for a holiday.
‘I saw many couples taking romantic selfies in this specific spot in front of my hotel room.’
Love my two children, @bobinardi – Indonesia
Labuan Bajo is a small village in Eastern Indonesia where most of its residents get their income from fishing. In this photo, Bobi says, the mother was telling traditional tales to her kids
Love is love, @cvnsky – Netherlands
Love story, @andylam – Vietnam
Andy says: ‘On the first day of Lunar New Year 2020, I was going around my neighbourhood with my beloved camera to capture some special moments when I spotted this beautiful couple.
‘The emotion I want to transmit in this photo is the beauty of teenage love: when you fall in love for the first time and feel this special vibration in your heart.’
Love, @oscar_penelo – Spain
Old Love, @caokynhan – Vietnam
‘I took this picture when I saw my father showering my mother. It was their very emotional moment. My mother had a stroke and hemiplegia so she couldn’t take care of herself.’
Love, @tatyanarafaello – Russia
Love, @damiane – Georgia
Love on a clifftop, @carl_brightman – UK
‘I was positioning my drone and waiting for the light to change when the young couple walked into the shot and stood to face the sea, admiring the view,’ Carl remembers.
‘At first, I was setting for a landscape shot, but sometimes the situation or scene changes for the better as does your initial idea.’
Love, @a.rosenthal – Germany
Rosenthal says that this scene was really moving for them to capture.
‘The mother kept drawing the infant close to herself, taking care of it with all her love. The little one was very playful and just like us, humans, it tried to free itself from the clasp of its mother again and again to explore the world alone.
I am convinced of this monkey mother’s deep love for her child. Just as I love my child, she loves hers. For me, there is no greater feeling, no more beautiful and pure way to love than that of the parents to their children
Love is everywhere, @danflorit – Spain
Love is all you need, @ksenia_zaiets – Portugal
‘If the photo could emit sounds, then one could hear how the seagulls screamed beautifully on the ocean and with a crash, the waves broke on the shore. This photo shows how strong love can be between two people,’ says Ksenia.
Love beneath, @dominikbrebric – Croatia
Dominik took this picture last summer while he was exploring the island of Ugljan with his girlfriend and mate.
‘Through this photo, I wanted to transmit the emotion of togetherness even in the depth of the sea, knowing that we are not alone as the red starfish is under us, to tell us that we are also part of this big lovable planet.’
Innocent smile, @myatzawhein – Myanmar
‘When I visited the primary school, I saw these two school girls laughing and having a sweet friendship moment. Feeling the love from a friend is very important at this age.’
Golden love, @tripixel21
Kiss, @asmodalemdedy
Dedy was lucky enough to photograph his cousin’s wedding.
‘The way they were looking at each other was very moving, I’m glad I captured this moment on camera.’
Happy with you, @eightman – Ghana
Just you and the sound of waves, @photolivestudio – France
The photographer behind this picture says that if they win the contest, they’re going to get a surprise gift for their wife to celebrate their 20 years of love later this month.
Deltebre, @pinapli – Indonesia
Glory of love, @barcerumbaku – Indonesia
Falling in love, @swannlynnhtet – Myanmar
You can vote for your favourite by downloading the Agora app.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/17/stunning-photos-prove-kinds-love-around-us-12253864/
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