Portraitist Christopher Wahl has taken photographs of everyone–from the Pope and President Obama to countless celebrities. He has been featured on Time, the New Yorker, and Vanity Fair. And his work is widely considered one of the best in the world.

But he only thinks he’s taken a handful of good photos. Not too encouraging to the rest of us, but revealing of his passion and work ethic. In this BTS video, Wahl talks about his drive and how a perfect portrait is meant to capture “awkward, decisive moments of people doing nothing.”

This a good video to keep you motivated…and your standards high.