Photography isn’t just about reacting to what’s in front of you.

The best photographs rarely happen in an instant. They take time. Not just time spent waiting for the right light — but time spent returning, refining, and beginning to understand what you’re actually looking at.

Because a photograph isn’t always found.

Often, it’s built.

Phase 1: Discovery

Every photograph begins with a subject — something you can build a story around.

Sometimes, first impressions last. You arrive, you notice something interesting, and you take the shot. But when you react in this way, you usually come away with the obvious photograph. And sometimes, that’s enough.

But often, it isn’t.

Because the story isn’t always obvious. It can take weeks, months — sometimes years — for it to reveal itself.

This is where persistence pays dividends.

In many cases, it will reward you far more than spontaneity. Because spontaneity relies on either luck or compromise.

Whereas persistence relies on a quiet determination. You will get the shot — it’s just a question of when.

Phase 2: Interpretation

If discovery is about finding a subject… interpretation is about learning how to see it. This is the phase most photographers skip.

In a world where social media has turned photographs into fleeting moments, we’ve become conditioned to chase the next subject. The next story. The next short-lived hit of gratification. But when you do that, you rarely give a subject the space it needs to reveal what makes it interesting.

There is no shame in taking your time. No artist was ever considered great for prolificacy alone.

John Cleese once observed that creative people tend to delay making decisions for as long as possible — because they know a better idea might still come along. In his words, making a decision too early is often just a way of chickening out of the creative process.

And photography is no different.

The moment you decide you’ve got the shot, you stop looking. You stop questioning. You stop exploring what else might be possible.

But the longer you pay attention, the more you begin to notice.

And this is when a subject starts to become a story.

Phase 3: Understanding

Interpretation isn’t about delaying the decision indefinitely. At some point, you have to draw the line.

Not every photograph needs to be perfect. And chasing perfection is often just another way of avoiding the decision altogether. After all, what you’re prepared to accept is just as much a part of your style as anything else.

Good enough is good enough, and done is better than perfect. When a photograph says what you want it to say, that’s the moment to add it to your portfolio — and move on. 

You might come back to it one day, with fresh eyes and better ideas. But for now, the work is done.

Photography isn’t a single moment. It’s a process.

From discovery, to interpretation, to understanding — the photographs that matter most are rarely the ones you take straight away.

They’re the ones you stick around for.