Paris-based photographer Julien Mauve documents the life cycle of a relationship in just one small collection of images entitled Hopeless Romantic. The series is an emotional story of finding someone, falling in love, growing apart, breaking off the relationship, and eventually wanting those first moments of love back.
The sharp, clean images are perfectly lit and Mauve has put a lot of thought and planning into each photograph. Outfits reappear within the series as a visual reminder of the good times, a poster hangs on the wall stating “I’m in the mood for love,” and small polaroids that once decorated the walls are thrown to the floor during the emotional breakup.
When viewing the images, you will become fond of the two main characters, enjoy the breezy days of tender new love, and then feel the heartache when the two separate. Mauve explains that the project is about desperately seeking that perfect, idealized love that we see in books and movies. Ultimately, is that perfection actually real? He says, “When reality overruns the magic of love and the illusion of romantic clichs vanish, men and women find themselves looking at what and who they really are. As reality sets in, there comes the difficult time when we must conciliate our relationship with our expectations.”
Mauve is a great visual storyteller. If you like this project, you’ll definitely enjoy the nostalgic memories he brings to life in his Back to Childhood series, here.
