Stay a Bit Longer: The Simple Habit That Improves My Landscape Photography

If I had to give one piece of general advice for landscape photography, it would be this: stay a bit longer. In my experience, the best photos are often made toward the end of a photography outing — not the beginning.

The Stamp-Collecting Trap

I used to treat photography like collecting stamps. Before every outing, I'd put together a list of locations I wanted to photograph. Once I'd captured a spot, I'd check it off and add it to my library.

Because it was a list, I was always thinking about the next location — even while I was still standing in the current one. This was especially true when traveling. Since I probably wouldn't be back to that place or neighborhood again, I wanted to capture as many locations as possible. So I'd rush myself to finish quickly and move on to the next spot, and the next.

I could usually get a few solid photos at every location this way. But during the culling process, I noticed a pattern: many of my better photos came from the places where I'd stayed just five or ten minutes longer — long enough to try another angle, or wait for a better moment.

Why It Matters Even More When Photographing Snowfall

"Stay a bit longer" also applies when I'm out waiting for snowfall. Snow often doesn't fall as heavily during the day, which means it doesn't register clearly in photos — and the shots end up feeling less impactful.

When I first started photographing urban landscapes in snow, I'd usually be exhausted before sunset and head home. But time and again, I found that the best photos came toward the end of those outings. Once the sun sets, the snowfall often gets heavier. Streetlights come on and interact with the falling snow, making the scene feel even more special.

These days, I leave a little later so I can stay out a little longer. Sometimes even an extra 30 minutes makes all the difference.

The Takeaway

Whatever you're photographing, resist the urge to rush to the next spot. The light, the weather, and the moment often need time to come together — and that extra ten or thirty minutes could be what turns a good photo into your best one.