Street Photography in Small Towns: Challenges and Rewards
“It’s harder to do street photography in small towns”. This idea seems to have become ingrained in street photography folklore. That, somehow, only those with access to large metropolitan cities can do good street photography. I’m going to explain why that’s not true.
Street photography in large cities
I began doing street photography over a decade ago. I cut my teeth in London, one of the most cultural and diverse cities in the world. Do I think it’s the best city for street photography? No, but the mix of subcultures makes it an exciting place to make street photographs.
The consequence of working in London is that I convinced myself I could never go to a small town and make compelling images. The capital was the home of people who were becoming their true selves, people who were not afraid to express who they really are.
London
In small towns, life tends to be more conservative. Communities are largely the same and few people have the desire to stand out from the crowd. When I was younger, my naive take was that small towns were boring and uninspiring.
In larger cities, especially the likes of London, New York et al, street photography is popular and people are more accustomed to the art form. In a smaller town, there’s a good chance you’re one of a handful of street photographers. You don’t blend in and instantly draw attention to yourself.
Street photography misconceptions
As challenging as small town street photography may seem, most of it is built on street photography myths. The first one being only eccentric people in major cities can make for compelling subjects.
Although it’s true you will see less creative expression in a small town, it doesn’t mean that the local people are not interesting. I’m currently in Sabaneta, one of the smallest municipalities in Colombia. Granted, it’s highly populated, but it still has that small town atmosphere.
The locals go to church, the streets are quiet after sunset and most people prefer not to draw attention to themselves. But, it’s full of stories to tell. Community, the importance of family and the relationship we have with God, being some of the common things to focus on.
A gentleman removes his hat before entering church. It's time to talk to God.
I’ve been here for almost three months. Trust me, the so-called mundane is as unpredictable and captivating as the extravagant energy you find in larger cities.
Only last week I attended one of the regular public funerals. It was beautiful to see people release balloons into the sky, their final goodbye to someone they lost. That’s standard practice for local people, but for an observer, like me, it was totally compelling.
The only street photographer
Moving to the next misconception: it’s too difficult to do street photography in a place where you’re the only one.
I’m a foreign street photographer in a small town, I stand out like a sore thumb. And, yes, in the beginning I received some curious looks from the locals. Over time though, people began to learn more about me, they could read my demeanor and knew I had no ill-intention. Many would even ask me to do street portraits.
By being consistent and not worrying about the odd look here and there, I built trust with my community. I fell in love with them, and they grew to accept me. Now I get smiles and waves because they know I am going to show their home in a positive light.
I should add the disclaimer that I am not some type of cult hero here in Sabaneta. Most people have no clue who I am. But for those that see me in the local square each day, they’ve got my back and value the work I am creating.
Signing off
There’s something about doing street photography in a small town that feels more rewarding. Over time, when it comes to eccentric personalities, it becomes a case of seen one seen them all - it loses the shock value. But connecting to a local community and documenting them with your camera, it feels special, more authentic.
I’d like to share this quote from Diane Arbus, which I feel perfectly sums up the experience of doing street photography in small towns…
“If you scrutinize reality closely enough, if in some way you really, really get to it, it becomes fantastic.”
Don’t let beliefs limit you. If there’s a community of people, a street and a camera, then there’s always a story to tell, no matter how big or small the place is.
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