Us Alone by laura stevens from france

this series of couples in their home examines moments of tension and struggle between men and women who cohabit.
these photographs are a departure from the traditional image of the happy, loving couple within vernacular photography and instead address the hidden, melancholy moments of coexistence. i wanted to explore the disparity between each partner striving for personal freedom and identity, alongside the need to act as part of a whole in creating a shared and unified reality. i photographed real couples within their own homes performing in a collaborative attempt to render visible the twofold existence of a partner.
ordinary domestic moments are dramatized by the use of sombre theatrical lighting and carefully directed poses to instill a mood of expectant anxiety. elements of the environment and the objects within it are highlighted to suggest their role in affecting intimacy and the emotions and behaviour of each character within the space.