Ask a couple how long they’ve been dating, and most will give an estimate in increments of years or months. But MaryV and Chella Man, two 20-year-old models and classmates at Parsons, aren’t afraid to get ultra-specific. On the day that photographer Emily Lipson caught up with them, they had an exact answer ready: two years, three months, and 24 days. In the 24 hours that Lipson spent running all around Brooklyn and Manhattan recently, she found plenty more couples who were equally unafraid to air their intimacy in public. (For some, that means simply channeling their inner uninhibited teenager, while for those who challenge heteronormativity, PDA can even be an act of defiance.) Love may be dead for celebrities, but, just in time for Valentine’s Day, these pictures make a strong case that it’s alive and well for New Yorkers, who actually might not be so cold-hearted after all. (And that there is some evidence to suggest that sliding into your crush’s DMs can lead to good things.)
1Chella Man, 20 and MaryV Benoit, 20
How did you meet? We met at a typical Bushwick house party during our first year of college. How long have you been dating? Two years, three months, and 24 days.
2Ashton Lang, 21 and Stef, 36
How did you meet? We met on Tinder. How long have you been dating? A year.
3Charles Caesar, 27 and Corey Baxton, 27
How did you meet? We met in college during a trip to Vail, Colorado. It was a wild weekend that involved trippy colors, jacuzzis, and lots of new experiences. How long have you been dating? We’re actually just friends, but we have a lot of love for each other and aren’t afraid to show it!
4Hazkel Brown, 22, and George Kessel, 32
How did you meet? Hazkel: We met through Instagram. George saw me on Tinder, and since my Instagram was attached to my profile, he decided to cut to the chase and DM me on there. I thought it was a bold move, and I wanted to meet, and now here we are, yet to sleep apart since. How long have you been dating? A year and half.
5Nicole Ripka, 26 and Maggie Goldstone, 26
How did you meet? College! In visual studios, when we were juniors and sophomores. How long have you been dating? Three years—can’t you tell?
6James Emmerman, 25, and Paul McAdory, 26
How did you meet? A Grindr date at Lover’s Rock that’s still going 😉 How long have you been dating? One and a half years.
7Nico Ferrall, 24 and Julissa Ramirez, 21
How did you meet? We met on Tinder. How long have you been dating? Seven months.
8Patrick Church-Herrera, 27 and Adriel Church-Herrera, 35
How did you meet? We met on Instagram and had our first date in Florence, Italy. How long have you been dating? We’ve been married for nearly two years.
9Christina Montes, 28 and Samantha Zellmer, 28
How did you meet? Christina: A mutual friend brought her to a BBQ I was having at my apartment for Memorial Day. But fate brought us together the very next weekend, when we ran into each other in an antique shop after a hike in upstate New York. How long have you been dating? It’ll be four years this summer.
10Daryl Oh, 27 and Gabriel Delia, 29
How did you meet? We met back home in Maryland—we went to the same high school. How long have you been dating? A total of almost five years spread around.
11Jess, 22 and Kyle, 30
How did you meet? We’re both from the Bay Area, but we met in New York through mutual Bay Area pals. How long have you been dating? Two years.
12Kerry-Anne Ryce-Paul, 41 and Dennis DeGraw, 46
How did you meet? We met on OkCupid. How long have you been dating? Five years and four months.
13Seamus Doheny, 26, Abigail Grohmann, 25
How did you meet? Abigail: I really wanted to learn how to DJ and knew that Seamus was a good techno and house DJ so I reached out for lessons. We became best friends and colleagues and then starting dating! How long have you been dating? Seven months.
14Amy Chen, 23 and Harrison Woods, 22
How did you meet? Do you want the real story or the fake story? How long have you been dating? Two and a half years and many more to come!!
15Maxwell Losgar, 28 and Wesley Nault, 34
How did you meet? Instagram! Pre-DM. How long have you been dating? We’ve been together for five and a half years, and engaged for two.
