Love in LA presents itself as a series of “missed connection” posts on craiglist, based on photographs taken by Rosaline Shahnavaz of real couples living in the East LA area.

Dating culture in any city take on forms of categorizing and ultimately judging. What do they do? Who do they know? These, often unavoidable, questions become more important than getting to know a person and work as blockades from real connection. Love in LA takes a step away from this and tries to engage in the very real and enigmatic first moments of meeting someone. Their gestures or the way they take steps, the time it takes them to complete an action or leave entirely becomes far more important than any question you might ask them. With this series we make a call to action for bodies to talk and for answers to categorical questions to allow themselves to be revealed, without so much as a murmur. In these photos we imagined the realities if the moments in these missed connections had been fulfilled, thus they work almost as dream realities for the fictional posts. Inversely, all couples are real and posing intimately.

written by Kate Eringer

the couples:
wish I kissed you on the train – Melissa & Matt
looking at me at the Laundromat? – Jack & Mavis
sunset at the observatory – Madison & Olivia

Photographer – Rosaline Shahnavaz @rosaline_s
Writer – Kate Eringer @keringer
wish I kissed you on the train – Melissa & Matt
looking at me at the Laundromat? – Jack & Mavis
sunset at the observatory – Madison & Olivia