Sascha van der Werf
Not a Photographer. A Witness to Presence.
I don’t chase moments. I wait for their quiet unfolding.
My work lives in the in-between—between stillness and motion, vulnerability and strength, surface and soul. I’m drawn to those who seek presence over perfection—artists, dreamers, and everyday souls with stories that want to be seen.
Because the most powerful image isn’t posed.
It’s felt.
“You don’t make a photo with the camera or any other equipment. When we press the shutter, the whole bundle that life gives us is always with us: The experiences we made, the inspirations we inhaled, our imagination mixed with our feelings in the present moment create the image.”
-Mag. (FH) Sascha van der Werf
My background in visual storytelling shapes how I approach each project—not as a technician, but as someone who listens with their eyes. Whether I’m working with an actor searching for truth in a portrait, or guiding a photographer through a creative block, I strip away what’s unnecessary to reveal what matters.
I don’t offer formulas. I offer presence.
I don’t direct. I invite.
I don’t decorate. I distill.
This isn’t just photography.
It’s a process of seeing—and being seen.
If the work resonates, follow the feeling. That’s where it begins.
It’s not just about what we see, but what we sense
the most powerful photographs are the ones that make us feel.
Why I Photograph
Because I don’t know any other way to speak.
Because what I feel, I frame.
Because the most powerful stories are the ones without words.
Photography isn’t what I do.
It’s how I see.
How I ask questions.
And how I leave a mark—quietly, honestly, intentionally.
What I See, I Feel
Photography is my language.
In a world that moves too fast, the camera slows me down.
It invites reflection. It asks for honesty.
It reveals what we’re too quick to overlook.
My work isn’t just about capturing subjects—it’s about listening to them.
Each frame holds energy, nuance, emotion.
A quiet dialogue with the present moment.
Whether on the street or in the studio, I seek presence.
Not perfection. Not control.
Just that rare intersection where something true begins to surface.
A SINGULAR APPROACH
Instinct over method. Presence over perfection.
I didn’t come to photography through tradition—but through instinct, curiosity, and a need to distill life’s complexity into quiet, timeless moments.
My medium is fine art, portraiture, and intimate monochrome work.
But what I offer goes deeper—
not just the image, but the essence beneath it.
Light and shadow are simply the language.
The subject is always presence.
“Through presence, I create space where feeling leads and transformation follows—not to direct, but to reflect what’s quietly asking to be seen. Every moment becomes a subtle unfolding; not posed, but felt.”
CAPTURING PRESENCE, NOT JUST IMAGES
Some seek photos. Others want to be seen.
My work is for those drawn to depth—not decoration.
For those who understand that meaning lives in nuance—
in the unspoken, the unresolved, the quietly powerful.
I don’t follow trends. I don’t craft for the ordinary.
Each portrait is a conversation—intentional, intuitive, and human.
What I capture isn’t just appearance.
It’s presence.
It’s the part of you that stays—long after the frame.
For Those Who Step In Front of My Lens
You don’t need to perform.
You don’t need to impress.
You just need to be.
This is about seeing yourself—without filters, without pressure, without fear.
To feel something real. To hold space for it.
To let it shift you.
That’s the moment I live for.
Beyond the Frame
A quiet return to what matters.
Photography, for me, isn’t about performance.
It’s about presence. About slowing down and seeing what’s already there—honest, unfiltered, real.
Sometimes, what starts as an image becomes something more:
A pause. A shift. A moment of stillness or self-recognition.
“What you see is only the beginning.
What you feel is the art”
Photography is how I move through the world—
a quiet dialogue between what I see and what I feel.
Fleeting moments become reflections.
Each image holds presence, emotion,
and the way I connect with life.
– Mag. (FH) Sascha van der Werf
Ready to Begin your personal journey?
Vienna-based, creating wherever presence is needed.
German or English—write in the language that feels most like you.
Photo Credits:
(1) Irene Schaur / (2) Rene Tenerani / (3) Martin Hirsch /