The Moments Between

People often think photography is about timing.

Being in the right place at the right moment and pressing the shutter.

There is some truth to that.

They’re the moments in between.

The moment between poses.

The moment after someone has finished speaking.

The moment before an athlete starts moving.

The moment after a bride and groom stop looking at the camera.

When photographing people, I often notice something interesting.

I’ll ask them to smile.

They give me a smile.

It’s perfectly fine.

Then they relax.

They laugh because they feel awkward.

Their shoulders drop.

Their expression changes.

For a brief second, they stop trying to look good.

And that’s usually when I take the photograph.

Not because posed photographs are bad.

But because the moments between poses often reveal something more authentic.

I see the same thing when editing documentaries.

The line that makes it into the final film is important.

But sometimes the most revealing moment is the pause before the line.

Or the smile afterwards.

Or the silence that follows.

The camera records events.
The editor searches for meaning.

Both are really looking for the same thing.

Moments that reveal something true.

Perhaps that’s why I’ve always been drawn to documentary storytelling.

Whether I’m photographing a wedding, filming an interview, editing a corporate story or simply walking around with a camera, I’m rarely looking for perfection.

I’m looking for the moments between.

The moments when people stop performing and start being themselves.