Small-Town Street Photography: A Definitive Guide

Small-town street photography is a challenge I’m intimately familiar with.

As much as I’d love to tell you I’ve unlocked the secret code to making any town look like New York City, that is simply not the case. Let’s get one thing straight. Street photography in a small town is not easy. 

Asheville, North Carolina

Small-town street photography is less about making the location you’re in appear more like somewhere else, and much more about accentuating the things that you DO have to work with. 

As someone who has photographed countless cities in and outside of the United States, I’m not going to beat around the bush: Not all locations are created equal. Places I expected to be incredible to shoot have turned out to be duds, and the reverse has been true many times over as well. 

That said, art is subjective- I know, real earth-shattering stuff, right? 

What I’m getting at: There is something special to be found in every town regardless of size, and there’s always something worth documenting if you know where to look, how to look, and what to look out for. 

We’ll also go over some of my go-to strategies for when I find myself in a place with ‘nothing to shoot’. 

My Experience Photographing Smaller Towns and Cities

I have spent a lot of time in small towns. Particularly in the southeastern United States.

Last year, I was faced with a conundrum. I had finally started to feel like I was hitting my stride and coming into my own style as a photographer when I made the choice to move to a town 1/12th the size of my home city- a city, frankly, I already found to be a bit smaller than I liked.

If that sounds like a bit of a privileged perspective, I’d generally agree with you.

In my defense, there is something about spending twenty years somewhere that can make a city of 2 million start to feel small, but I still love Denver and always try to photograph it when I’m back home. 

That said, I learned a lot about myself and what I want out of my surroundings that year. I had to adapt, and fast. How was I supposed to pursue the art I felt called to make in my new surroundings?

So fewer people on the streets, less going on. What do you shoot, exactly?

Attend Events 

If you head out on a Wednesday night expecting to photograph crowds of people out and about in a small town, you’ll be sorely disappointed. 

Events, on the other hand, are a street photographer's goldmine. They attract large crowds, which are much easier to photograph than the few people you might find out and about on a normal day. Best of all, you’ll often find people dressed up, street performers, vendors, and lowered inhibitions all around. 

Charleston, South Carolina

People are more open to the idea of being photographed spontaneously in these settings.

Last year, I photographed the India Day festival in Greenville, SC, which is normally a very quiet town. Festivals like that one, farmers markets, holiday events, etc. are absolutely the way to go for traditional, people-focused street photography when you’re working with a smaller town. 

Fishing

Alright, there’s not an event going on today, but you want to get out there with your camera anyway. What now? 

The fishing technique.

Don't be afraid to wait patiently for the right moment to capture your shot. Frame up a composition you like, focus your camera where you think a subject might walk into the frame, and let the waiting begin. 

Charlotte, North Carolina (I know, I know, not a ‘small’ town. BUT I distinctly remember waiting 20+ minutes for a subject to walk by me this morning.)

In a city like Boston (where I’m writing this from) I sometimes miss shooting this way. It can be a very relaxing way to chase street photography compositions in a genre that is notoriously confrontational and fast-paced. 

The beauty of this technique is that in small towns where it might feel awkward to take someone's photo, you can blend in much more easily as well. It’s certainly less daunting than shoving a camera in someone’s face when you’re the only two people out on the street. 

Start a Project

If photographing people proves to be challenging in your small town, remember that street photography encompasses more than just capturing faces and expressions. 

Use your surroundings as an opportunity to explore the slower side of street photography. Instead of searching for the subjects your town may lack, switch your focus and document something unique. Doorways decorated for holidays, strange things you see in people’s front yards, the way the waterfront changes throughout the seasons, shop windows, etc. 

Credit goes to Roman Fox for this idea. This is a piece of advice I found particularly helpful in one of his videos when I was living in the southeast last year.

Break Rules

One advantage of shooting in small towns is that there are often fewer restrictions. Security guards are scarce, and rules tend to be more relaxed. Take advantage of this by exploring places like parking garages for a different perspective and a higher vantage point. 

Asheville, North Carolina

You can also utilize the interiors of buildings such as galleries and shops with less risk of being asked to leave. Just remember to be respectful, spend a reasonable amount of time taking photos, and take the opportunity to appreciate the art around you as well. 

Framing & Composition

Often wider lenses and compositions can, unfortunately, expose your small town for what it is. There’s no shame in living or photographing somewhere quieter, but there are ways you can photograph these places that make them feel more vibrant and lived in. 

Asheville, North Carolina

Look for ways to isolate subjects or scenes, reducing the context and letting the composition rest on the compelling elements within the scene rather than the scene itself. 

This could mean highlighting graffiti or artwork, capturing reflections in dirty windows, or using foreground elements to block out parts of the frame. 

Experiment with longer focal lengths or a zoom lens here as well. From my experience, sometimes your wider lenses do more harm than good in these scenarios.

Time & Place

I mentioned seeking out farmers' markets or events to find subjects. Apply similar logic when deciding where and when to shoot. 

For instance, if you venture out on a quiet Wednesday afternoon, you can expect minimal activity. However, if you head out around 5:00 PM on a Friday evening and linger around restaurants and bars, you're much more likely to encounter people on the move and engage in street photography opportunities.

Asheville, North Carolina

Revisit Photographs That Worked (Or Didn’t)

Don't shy away from returning to places where you've had success in the past. After a while, you’ll build up a catalog of work, and start to understand where and when you get the best photos.

There's always more than one way to capture a scene, however. 

Even if you're satisfied with a shot taken previously, there might be another angle or a better subject later on. Factors like different lighting conditions, time of day, or weather can do a lot to dramatically transform the outcome- especially if you already have a composition that you like in your back pocket.

Go Somewhere Else

Okay, this one is a little tongue-in-cheek, but hear me out. We’ve discussed making the most of your surroundings, but I genuinely believe that venturing beyond your small town can reinvigorate your creative spirit- especially if you’re feeling burnt out. 

If you are fortunate enough to have access to a car, bus route, or train line that can take you to the next town over, take advantage of it. 

Wilmington, North Carolina

When I lived in the southeast, I made a point to plan day trips and weekends away in nearby cities small and large. I may have been living in a small town, but I managed to spend time in Charlotte, Atlanta, Wilmington, Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, Knoxville, and more. 

Even though none of these places are massive cities or renowned street photography destinations, the change in scenery alone can inspire fresh ideas and breathe new life into your photography.

Wrapping Up

Nowadays I consider myself extraordinarily fortunate to be traveling full-time, exploring incredible places like San Francisco, LA, Boston, New York, Montréal, Vancouver, Seattle, and so much more. 

I’m in love with street photography and the creative process like never before, but I often think back with gratitude for the time I spent photographing smaller towns. Aside from the deeper appreciation they gave me for the places I find myself now, I have no doubt that they made me a better, more competent, and versatile photographer too. 

So seize every opportunity to travel. Absolutely go and explore the big cities if and when you can, but don’t discount what you can learn from your own hometown, and don’t hesitate to share if you have any tips of your own!

Last but not least, let’s try something new: DM me your small-town photos and tell me the story behind them. I’d love to hear your thoughts on small-town street photography.

Thanks for reading, go find your nearest farmers’ market.