How to Dominate Travel Photography in a Small Town February 20, 2024February 20, 2024 From the moment I took my first trip, I fell in love with travel. Exploring different cultures, and environments, and immersing myself in new spaces is one of my favorite joys of life. When I’m shooting different environments, it’s a moment for me to be present in the space I’m in and document the story that’s unfolding in front of my face. Working in travel photography has opened a door for me to continue exploring the world around me. But for many photographers like myself, living in a small town can feel limiting – except that’s not the case. No matter where you’re located, it is 100% possible to be a successful travel photographer. If you’re interested in a few ideas of how to get started, read on to learn more. Do you need to be in a large city to be a travel photographer? If my stance isn’t clear by now, here it is: No, you don’t need to live in a big city to be a travel photographer. Living in a large city does have many benefits, but a small town has benefits in its own right. There is an audience for everything in photography and I believe that how well you do will depend on your creativity and willingness to market yourself. To get you inspired, let’s take a look at the benefits of shooting travel in a small town. 3 Benefits of shooting in a small town New Perspective: Shooting in a big city offers photographers many places to explore. Unfortunately, many photographers tend to gravitate to the most popular locations. This practice becomes redundant and lacks originality. Shooting in a small town pushes you to think more creatively and bring something new to the world of photography. Profitable Niche: Shooting travel in a small town can be just as profitable as being in a big city. There are plenty of people and businesses interested in travel photos specifically from smaller areas. Most brands are looking for content that hasn’t been seen before, which gives photographers in lesser-known areas an advantage. Easier to Market Yourself: Another advantage of shooting in a small town is that it can be easier to market yourself. Naturally, smaller towns will have fewer photographers specializing in travel. This is a perfect opportunity for you to make a name for yourself in your area and then venture out from there. Interested in some great tips on how to market yourself? Check this article out. How to Get Clients When Living in a Small Town There are many opportunities to get travel photography clients even when you’re living in a small town. here are a few ideas to explore: Small local Businesses Smaller towns have fewer people and businesses. As a result, it can be hard for photographers to see the possibilities. But it doesn’t mean that the opportunities aren’t there. Check for any businesses in your area that would benefit from travel photography. For instance, businesses that promote outdoor activities would benefit from photos of natural landscapes to aid their marketing efforts. Get creative and see what you can offer the local businesses in your area. Hotels There might not be big chain hotels in your area like the Marriott, but you likely have a hotel or two that could benefit from photography. Aside from hotels, you can provide images for boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, Airbnb, cabins, etc. When you don’t limit yourself to big chain hotels, you’ll find that you can create great travel photography for others in the travel and tourism industry. Local Government Your local government has a responsibility to attract visitors to their area to boost the economy. For many places, travel and tourism brings in a great portion of revenue. In smaller towns, it may not be noticeable how your local government plays a role, but this doesn’t prevent you from being proactive. Larger cities typically have a destination marketing organization that works with photographers to promote the city. A smaller town may have a similar organization. If not, your next point of contact is the Chamber of Commerce. They typically have a small department that focuses on increasing traveling marketing efforts. Venturing Beyond Your Area Being a travel photographer in a small town is a great opportunity to grow as a photographer, build lasting client relationships, and cultivate a solid career. It also prepares you to venture beyond your area. As you can continue to shoot, look for opportunities to venture beyond where you live. You don’t have to live in a big city to get noticed, your creativity and how you position yourself as a photographer will take you far. If this post inspired you, I encourage you to share it. Leave a comment and let me know what your photography goals are. For business inquiries, visit the contact page. Blog