When your photos feel flat or uninspired, it can be tough to know what went wrong. The problem isn’t always your camera or your gear. Often, it’s about how you approach a scene, the way you see light, and the confidence you bring to pressing the shutter more than once.
Coming to you from Max Kent, this thoughtful video highlights some of the most common habits that hold back your images. Kent starts with a mistake many people make when they’re out shooting: taking a single photo and moving on too quickly. Nervousness or hesitation often means you settle for the easy shot instead of working a scene. Kent points out that the masters didn’t stop at one frame. They would take 5, 10, sometimes 15 shots of the same moment, knowing that persistence increases the chances of capturing something extraordinary. Settling early means you cut yourself off from that possibility.
Kent then shifts to another problem that shows up in countless images: flat light. At first, it can be hard to even recognize why a photo feels dull. But when you compare images from overcast or midday sun with those that use light and shadow intentionally, the difference becomes clear. Flat photos lack layers. They don’t feel three-dimensional or immersive. By paying attention to where shadows fall, where highlights meet darkness, and how different layers of light stack together, you start creating images with more depth. That awareness is what makes a picture feel alive rather than lifeless.
The video also touches on the importance of mystery. Kent suggests that many great photographs don’t spell everything out. Instead of giving the viewer all the information, they ask a question, spark curiosity, or leave room for interpretation. Contrast this with many images you see online, which are technically fine but obvious. When you lean on famous landmarks or scenic locations to carry your image, you miss the chance to tell a more interesting story. Think of photographing Paris—not just the Eiffel Tower, but the small details, the interactions, and the unexpected angles that suggest something beyond what’s plainly visible. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Kent.
I actually like flat light simply as it gives me a blank canvas in terms of the edit where I can add contrast into the image and shape it in a way that suits my style, something that wasn't there when I took the photo. I find midday sun much trickier and it doesn't always look very flattering, unless you are trying to darken down the shadows to create pockets of light which we see in a lot of photos all the time.