Unless you're in a plain city park, there's typically something pretty cool to see right in front of wherever someone's decided to place a bench. Rather than focus exclusively on the subject, I like to see empty benches as a kind of still-life reminder; that someone liked this spot enough to give it a place of comfort, and to share it with others.
This is a growing collection of benches that have stayed with me, each one marking a moment worth remembering.
One of the first photos I took with my Canon R6. During one of our interminable Covid lockdowns, I passed this bench on my daily sanity walks.
On a family trip, where we were desperate for a break, I ran into these two, locked in a battle for longevity. I'm not sure which of them is more stubborn.
The Parthenon, nicely framed, on an extremely hot day. This bench faces Socrates' prison.
At the quiet fishing port of Grundarfjörður, this bench offers a break with a decent view of Kirkjufell, the most photographed peak in Iceland. This is my humble addition to the collection.
Not a bench, but one of my favourite seat shots nonetheless. It reminded me of a doctor's waiting room, in the middle of the Alhambra.
It was a good spot to stop and rest after a long and sweaty hike to Sa Dragonera; even better at sunset, two hours later after tapas and gelato.
The loneliest bench of the collection. The next land mass in this direction is Svalbard, a good 2000 km away.
This is a field note—an ongoing collection that exists independently of specific journeys. The benches shown here were photographed during various trips between 2021—2025.