In the weeks that lead up to Valentines Day we see shop displays and windows filled with red hearts and rose petals. Online ads start to show chocolate and date night specials, all splashed with red and featuring fabulous models.
And while the holiday itself is a wonderful excuse to show a little extra love for any and all of the special people in your life, we can’t help but question the traditional mode with which it continues to be executed.
So if you’re putting together Valentines posts, think about the following…
Hearts
The heart has become the universal organ and symbol to represent emotion and love. So, it makes sense that this would be what we see around Valentine’s Day as it is in essence the day of love. However, getting a little clever with the shape and imagery can have a big impact. Steer clear of perfect red hearts and get creative!
Roses
Obvious consumerism issues aside, the quintessential red rose is completely synonymous with Valentine’s Day and love in general. So, challenge the norm and mix up this old tradition by using different coloured roses or a completely different flower for a change!
Chocolates
As the Valentines treat and gift of choice, chocolate everywhere starts to take on a heart shape over this period. Other obvious food items that shout ‘love’ are strawberries, cupcakes and macaroons or marshmallows. But really, any food can be made to look romantic with the right composition.
Couples
Valentines images depicting couples are often so stylized – a glamorous couple in a fancy setting. Don’t be afraid to dial it down and use images of authentic people in every day settings. As a result, you allow your audience to connect and relate to the subjects in the photograph. Or better yet, with Valentine’s Day centering on romantic love, open it up to celebrate the universal love of family and friends.
Reds
You might have noticed that no red-based images were chosen for this post, specifically to show that Valentine’s images can be based around different tones and still be beautiful and effective. Pastels, pinks, blues and neutrals or whites are easy transitions away from red.
This is a fun time of year to get creative! Don’t do what has always been done, be brave and bold in how you depict love.
For more inspiration, have a look at our Lightbox of love.
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