Swipe Right

Dating has changed significantly in recent years, with apps now becoming the most popular way to meet a potential partner. Willie B. Thomas and I worked together to create a storyboard that followed the full process of the ‘app dating’ experience, from ‘swiping right’ to get‑to‑know‑you video chats and first in‑person dates. Working with two different couples gave us the freedom to try alternative compositions and locations while keeping the core narrative and shot list the same for both stories. Thomas committed to this idea by creating his own dating application interface, removing any Intellectual Property complexities for the close‑up phone shots.

In order to create an authentic story, we wanted to capture all of the nuanced emotions that are attached to digital dating; the anticipation of your phone buzzing with a notification, the time spent crafting a witty reply and the drifting hours of a successful first date. Set with a moody Berlin backdrop, Thomas and his team created an uber‑cool aesthetic with both couples, adding pops of color to lift the scenes and bring a positive atmosphere to these successful courtships.

At Getty Images we are committed to the authentic representation of all people and their experiences, including members of the LGBTQIA+ community. It was important for this brief to include a same‑sex couple as the default for romance is often heterosexuality in media. In fact, online dating has long been popular in the LGBTQIA+ community as it traditionally offered safe spaces for socializing and exploration. In 2020 we began an evolving partnership with GLAAD to create guidelines for our contributors and customers in order to help them create imagery that truly represents LGBTQIA+ people.