Waiting is the work
Most of a shoot is standing still, and most of the picture is that.
Feb 2, 2026
3 min
Sintra, Portugal
People imagine photography as a series of decisive moments. Most of my day is the opposite. I stand in one spot, I watch, and I let the scene settle around the people in it.
Let it settle
The first ten minutes of any session are for the camera to become furniture. After that, people stop posing for me and start talking to each other. That is when the real pictures arrive.
The unglamorous middle
Every session has a long middle where nothing seems to happen. People adjust their sleeves, check their phones, ask if they look alright. Most photographers fill that time with direction. I let it run.
Silence is uncomfortable for about four minutes. After that it becomes the most honest part of the day.
Where to stand
Waiting well means choosing a spot and committing to it. I pick a place with good light and a clean background, and I let the scene move through my frame instead of chasing it.
The camera has to become furniture before anyone forgets it is there.
Fujifilm GFX 100S
Sintra, Portugal
