10 Habits That (Quietly) Transform Your Photography in 2026

What if the thing that transforms your photography in 2026 isn't a new camera, a new lens, or some huge breakthrough, but a few simple habits that you barely even notice at first? Because, my friend, in my experience, after more than a decade of photography and building this into my career, the biggest improvement usually comes from the small things repeated over time. So, in this video, I want to show you 10 habits that will make a massive difference. Habit number 1 Alright, my friend, so, a lot of people think that photography only happens on them proper photo days. I'm, of course, talking about the day where you plant something absolutely good ---- on a nice location. You know, it's the kind of day where you decide to yourself, and you tell yourself, alright, today, I'm gonna get me some bangers. But, honestly, a lot of growth and experience happens on normal days. Because, when you bring your camera with you into everyday life, you are giving yourself more reps, which means more chances to practice, and more chances to train your eyes and skills in them ordinary moments, and not just the obvious big ones. And that, my friend, matters because photography, it gets better, or your photography, it will get better when it becomes a part of your life. And not just something that you do every now and then, but something that you're doing all the time. However, with that being said, then there is also another reason I think this matters so much. You see, you never really know when the moment is gonna show itself. Maybe the conditions are just wild and perfect while you're about to take your ass on the tram, like happened to me, you know, once. Or, the light is just amazing one very ordinary morning while you're on your way to work. That has also happened to me. So, what I'm saying here is that if your camera is not with you, my friend, you're not getting any good ---- shots. So, the first habit is super simple. Take your camera with you more often than feels necessary. Basically, as much as you possibly can. However, even when people have their camera with them, they still end up making this next mistake all the time. By the way, if you want to become a better photographer, then I sent out free weekly emails. They're short, fun, easy to read, and packed with value. If that sounds interesting to you, then there is a link down in the description and it's totally free. Habit number two. So, a lot of photographers wait to feel creative before they even start, which sounds hella nice, but it also doesn't really work very well because inspiration is unreliable as hell. Action, however, is not. You see, in my experience, most of the time the creative spark, it shows up after you begin, not really before. The hard part is always getting started. You know, I'm talking, of course, about taking the first few frames or pushing past that little wall of resistance. It's kind of like a warm-up when you're going to the gym. You got to warm up your body first a little bit, and I feel that in photography, it is absolutely the same. It takes a little while to get into the groove of it, but once you do, your brain starts to wake up and you start to notice things and trying out a few things, maybe following a few ideas that just came into your head and just getting creative with it, you know? So, don't wait for motivation to arrive like some magical little gift from the old man upstairs. Instead, shoot first and let the inspiration catch up because some of your best photos will come from the days where you couldn't really be bothered to go outside, but then you start to go and you just got really creative and had fun. So, the second habit is this. Shoot before you feel inspired. But the thing is, once you stop waiting for the perfect mood, you will start to realize something else. Habit number three. So, a lot of people think good photos can only come from special subjects like a big mountain or a super cool street or even some cinematic person wearing a long coat looking all mysterious for no obvious reason. And of course, of course, of course, that helps a lot, especially that mysterious person there that you found. But I'm here to tell you that ordinary life is massively underrated. I'm talking things like home, weather, routines, quiet mornings, familiar streets, small moments, and all that little stuff that matters. And over time, it often becomes, how can I say this, like more meaningful than the other big flashy stuff. At least that's how it often shows up in your work. Like we had this conversation on a call in the darkroom, which is an online community that I run for photographers, and it was super fun and honestly a bit eye-opening to hear other people's experience with this because most of us aren't in the position to be able to travel all the time. I mean, heck, I got a baby and two other small kids under the age of five. But the thing is, photographing ordinary life teaches you to find beauty without depending on the big moments. And as we touched on before, it can also make your work feel more personal. And another important thing, it trains one of the most important skills in photography, how to actually notice what's in front of you. Plus, if you get good at capturing beautiful photos in ordinary places, imagine what happens when you take those skills to them epic locations. You'll be dangerous, my friend. So the third hard bit is to photograph ordinary life on purpose. However, once that starts happening, you usually realize something slightly annoying. Habit number four. This one is a bit offensive, at least if you're wired like me, but it's so, so true. You see, a lot of photographers would improve so much faster by learning light rather than buying another camera. Now, of course, better gear, it can help you massively for sure. But better light does way more heavy lifting than people want to admit. I mean, understanding in your core, things like soft light, side light, shadows, glow, mood, and all the different lighting scenarios, that's the thing that makes a simple scene look so good. And on the other side of the spectrum, flat, boring light makes almost everything so much harder. So instead of always asking what camera or lens that you need next, start asking better questions. Where is the light coming from? Is it soft or is it harsh? Is it adding shape, depth, or mood? Because once you learn to notice light, your photos improves so freaking fast. So the fourth habit is this, my friend. Chase better light, not better gear. However, even with great light, a lot of people still stop at the first half decent frame, which is exactly the problem. Habit number five. You see, the first shot is rarely the best shot. Sometimes it happens and you get the hole in one, but usually it's just the first idea. The obvious one, you know, that feels safe at first. Kind of like, all right, that will do kind of type of shot. Kind of type of, can you say that both together? But the thing is, the stronger image, it often shows up after that. When you move, you get lower, you step closer, you back up, you change the frame, you take a step to the side, all of that things. Basically, you stop for a moment and think to yourself, okay, what's the subject here? How can I make it stand out? And how can I help guide the viewer's eyes to it? And is there any story here as well? A lot of questions, but it's important, you know, we want to become good, right? Because the cool thing about photography is that tiny changes can completely change a photo. The background, it gets cleaner, the subject, it stands out more, and the frame, it just starts to look a lot better. And we just freaking love that ----, you know? I don't know why I'm doing this with my hand. I'm just excited. So the fifth habit is to work a scene instead of taking one frame and then moving on. Give it just a little bit of time. However, even then, people still leave way too early, which is another easy way to miss the best shot. Are you doing this? Habit number six. So a lot of photographers leave as soon as they get one decent frame. And that's fair enough. I get it. You feel like you got the shot and job well done. Time to pack our bags and get the **** out of here. But I'm here to tell you that taking just that one extra minute can often be where the better shot appears. Because once you stop rushing, you start to noticing what's wrong with the frame. Maybe you see something that's distracting in the background. Maybe you see a cleaner composition. The timing might get better. Or waiting a little bit might make the light just a little bit better as well. You see, photography, it punishes rushing way more than people actually realize. So if you always leave as soon as the photo becomes acceptable to you, you usually leave with the most obvious version. So my friend, the sixth habit is super simple. Take one extra minute before you leave the location. Look again, slow down. Because a good shot often shows up right after you thought you were finished. Habit number seven. A place that you think is boring can often be just a place that you've only seen once. Bear with me and let me explain. You see, the same location can look completely different depending on the weather, light, season, and of course, the time of the day. For example, a street in a flat daylight, maybe it's nothing special at all. And then that same street in fog, rain, maybe that beautiful low sun, or even that evening light. Low sun and evening light, that's the same. But that ----, beautiful. So my friend, if you got the opportunity, then revisiting places, it teaches you something really, really important. Photography is not just about finding a new place. It's about understanding places more deeply. And when you do that, you stop depending on newness. It's not even a word. I'm talking about new places, you know. And you start paying attention to timing, mood, even conditions. And that's really when you realize that strong photos is often less about where you are and more about when you are there. So the seventh habit is to shoot the same place in different conditions. But even if you get better at that, there is still one habit that helps you improve even after the shot is already done. Habit number eight. So my friend, this one is dear to me. You see, a photo is usually not finished just when you press the shutter. And I've noticed that a lot of people treat editing like it's optional or like it's just there to fix mistakes. I'm here to tell you, it's not. Editing is part of making the image. It helps you shape the mood, guide the tension, makes the photo feel finished, guiding the light. I'm so passionate about editing. And the thing is, I often shoot with the edit in mind. Maybe I'm out there with my camera and I noticed how the light is just hitting the subject and I think to myself, oh, okay, I know how I can take control of that light and start shaping it in post-production and really bring the life into it and just breathe it with life, you know? And another super important part about editing is that it is the greatest teacher. Because when you go through your work properly with a critical eye, you start seeing patterns. Basically, my friend, you'll start to notice your mistakes because you are in the editing chair staring at your photos, which means that you will quickly start to see what keeps working, what keeps falling flat and kind of just sucks, and what it is that you missed and what almost works. And this is super valuable because then you know what you can do better next time when you're out in the field with your camera hunting for the bangers. You see, I just truly believe this, that if you never review your photos properly, you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again without realizing it. So the eighth habit is this, commit to editing your photos. And by the way, if you want to learn in a few days what took me months, even years to figure out, then check out my full Lightroom Masterclass. This thing is built from over a decade of editing experience, both as one of my biggest passion and professionally, and I made it simple, practical and genuinely fun to watch. And you see, I don't just show you what sliders to move. I teach you how to think like an editor so you can take your good photos and turn them into the images that you're actually proud of. At the time of the recording, over 600 photographers have already gone through this course and the feedback has been incredible. And I'm confident that it can seriously level up your editing game in just 30 days. If not, I will give you your money back. If that sounds interesting, then there's a link down in the description. Habit number nine. All right, so this one, a lot of people avoid because sharing your work before it feels ready is kind of uncomfortable, or at least that's how it feels. And basically you think the photos aren't good enough to share yet, or maybe even you're not good enough yet. So what do you do? Well, you wait until the work is better, until you feel more confident, until the timing feels right. And somehow that day, it never arrives. My friend, perfectionism keeps a lot of photographers stuck in private. And when all your work stays private, it's very easy to stay in your own head. And my friend, sharing, it helps break that because it creates momentum and it forces you to finish things. Plus it gives you feedback and it helps you stop treating every photo like a verdict on your talent. So the ninth habit is to share your work before it feels perfect. And where do you share it? Well, wherever it feels comfortable to you. You can use Instagram, Facebook, or any other platform that you're familiar with. You can even apply to join my community, The Darkroom, which has almost 100 skilled photographers from all over the world. And we regularly give each other feedback on our photos, which is super, super valuable. Habit number 10. All right, my friend, this right here is the real shift underneath all of it. Because one of the biggest changes does not come from one tip, one camera, or one lucky photo. It happens when photography stops being just a thing that you do occasionally and starts becoming a part of how you move through life. I know that I stand against getting deep on you, but bear with me, buckle up. Basically, when photography becomes a part of your identity, consistency gets so much easier because now you're not just relying on mood all the time, you are just acting in line of who you are. Look, I used to do card magic as a professional, but for the longest time, this was just a dream that I had in my head. And I literally made it a part of my identity. I told every person that I ever met that I was a magician, even as I wasn't working as a magician, and I had cards with me all the time. And when I told people this, they obviously wanted to see some magic, which meant that I got to practice my skills everywhere. And because I was telling myself that I am a magician, it became my identity. I was the guy with a deck of cards. And then slowly but surely, I started to get paid for doing it because I was doing it all the time. So the 10th habit is this, make photography a part of your identity. And that, my friend, is when some seriously real transformations happens, I promise. However, the thing is, if you really want these habits to pay off, you need to learn how to take strong photos without relying on epic location. So if you want to know how to take great photos in boring places, then my friend, watch this video next right here.