"Two People, in Summer" is a photographic project exploring how moments gain meaning when shared with someone else—even if that "other" person merely shares the same space with us, without the need for words. Simply existing in the presence of another human being enriches an experience.

In reality, the mere presence of another person creates the possibility for a new story to emerge.

I chose this project because, collectively, we have emerged from the pandemic era, a time during which existing tendencies toward loneliness and isolation intensified in ways we never expected to experience. We were taught that the only safe refuge for an individual was their solitude. We were asked to embrace our loneliness—if we loved humanity.

A few years have passed since the enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions, and according to a Prince’s Trust study, 30% of young people say they don’t know how to make new friends and have never felt lonelier.

Loneliness appears to be more widespread than ever, but it’s difficult to determine whether the isolation imposed by the virus was the cause—or if it merely exposed the intensity of a pre-existing crisis.

The selected photographs were taken during summer—a season when people go out to enjoy themselves. The common element in all these images is the coexistence of two people.

In some photographs, there is a close bond between the two individuals. In others, they share the same space but are not necessarily connected. However, in every case, if the "second person" were missing from the composition, these images would not be as powerful or beautiful. Their stories would be poorer. Or perhaps, they wouldn’t exist at all.

We are poorer when we are alone...