Five Benefits of Staying Local with Your Photography
When it comes to standing out from other photographers, focus on your community, not your region’s major landmarks.
Mills Aglow is one of my favorite photos I’ve taken of my hometown.
I grew up in the small town of Newmarket, NH. In fact, I live there today, although I made a conscious effort to venture out and explore the world a bit before earning the “townie” label. And when I say the world, I actually mean it.
After graduating from college, I jumped on a plane with a few friends and spent a couple of months backpacking around Europe. Definitely one of the coolest experiences of my life. Nothing like throwing up in a train station in the heart of Prague after getting food poisoning from Czech dumplings! Like most adventures, that trip had some highs and lows. But the point is, I took the plunge and tackled international travel for the first time.
Me and my oversized Columbia windbreaker (it was the 90s), posing in Salzburg, Austria.
Going on that trip nurtured a sense of adventure. Enough so that when I was offered a job in New York City later that summer, I accepted without much hesitation. Living in Jersey City and commuting to Manhattan was just a step (or ten) outside of my comfort zone. But I made it work and was a better and braver person as a result.
When my company opened a West Coast office the next summer, I jumped in my Jeep and took a one way road trip to Los Angeles (thanks for driving with me, mom). SoCal was, in a word, a-frickin-mazing. But … it wasn’t home.
Which brings me back to Newmarket. After all that travel and after living in some of the most exciting cities in the country, I eventually opted to move back to sleepy, little Newmarket.
There’s no place like home
So, what does this have to do with photography? Well, I believe that all the travel and moving around provided me with some valuable perspective. Eventually I started to understand what was special and unique about my home turf. Sure, there’s no Eiffel Tower here and you won’t find a Hollywood sign on any of our hills.
But here’s the thing, those landmarks are experienced and photographed by endless numbers of people every year. While those grand scenes are special, I’d argue that something doesn’t need to be grand in order to be special. Sometimes the holes-in-the-wall provide the really unforgettable moments.
It reminds me of one of my more memorable experiences in Europe. It was a moment in a small butcher shop in Germany where the owner made me a sandwich that I ordered by just pointing at different things and using facial expressions, since I didn’t speak German and he didn’t speak English. (Or maybe he did and was just entertained by the exchange.) The point is, my favorite experiences are often the unexpected interactions with local people and places, not the big tourist attractions.
One of my most popular recent images, Frosted Morning, was taken just 10 minutes from where I live.
Don’t follow the herd - keep it local
Now that you have a better sense of my background, let me walk through five eye-opening observations I’ve had since I started photographing my local community. I’ll approach this from the perspective of a photographer who is looking to develop or expand their portfolio, but most of these concepts apply to anyone who enjoys photography.
I’ve pulled together a list of five reasons why staying local with your photos has some tangible benefits for both new and experienced photographers.
1. Local images distinguish you from others
Take a moment to think about the region you live in. If you were to have friends visit and you wanted them to experience the area, there are probably several places you’d visit. Some of those spots are probably right in your town, and others likely require a little travel.
I’d argue that the spots in your town are just as photogenic as the spots you need to take a road trip to visit. Even better, the nearby, under-the-radar locations haven’t been photographed and posted to social media nearly as many times. And that’s not to say that driving to see Mount Washington, to use an example in my region, isn’t worthwhile. It’s a must see, no question. But rather, there are multiple scenes close by that really tell the story of who you are and where you live.
Trust me, I know the internal pressure to capture those same shots you see from everyone else. But if you want to take unique photos that stand out from every other photographer and tourist that visits your state, it’s well worth the time to explore your own backyard.
2. You know the secret spots
Chances are, you know some nooks and crannies in your area that are off the beaten path. Maybe a nature trail, or an old barn, or a building that has some unique features. Maybe you know where a good spot is to people watch. Or maybe you drive by something every day that always happens to catch your eye.
I’m guessing that if you took a few minutes to make a list, there are a dozen places that define your town or neighborhood. In my town, we’ve got the Stone Church, watching over Main Street from atop the hill. There’s the waterfall near the library that feeds fresh water from the Lamprey River into the Great Bay. The bright red Newmarket Engine House sits on the corner, across from Horseshoe Café (recently named best coffee shop in New Hampshire by Food and Wine Magazine). And of course, we have the old mills that line the river, offering hundreds of years of history.
The Stone Church (Newmarket, NH) is a favorite spot for local music (and beers).
Make a checklist of those spots on your phone and add to it over time. Soon you’ll have a nice go-to for photo options.
3. Quick access when your time is limited
As a landscape photographer, there’s nothing worse than realizing sunset is about to blow up and you only have a few minutes to find a suitable location to capture it. This happens to me ALL the time.
Or when you have a brief window of free time, like a lunch break, and you want to snap some quick pics.
One of the best parts of having that checklist is you can quickly pick a spot to grab that sunset, or to zip over and take a few pics. Especially if you’re trying to improve your photography (and to be honest, that should be everyone who has a camera), the more reps you get in the better.
4. Great for sharing with local groups
People tend to have a stronger connection to a photo when there is an existing emotional tie to the subject. I’ve seen firsthand that when I share images, particularly in local Facebook groups, that the photos with the most engagement are local scenes.
Whether it’s the gazebo in the park, or the storefront of the town breakfast hot-spot, or those colorful, old homes along the river, it’s exciting to see a photo on social media when you can say, “Hey! I know that place!”
Sharing these local photos is a great way to connect with people and to allow them to connect with your work. One of my favorite parts of posting images on social media is when someone comments with an anecdote about their childhood. It’s amazing how often a picture can trigger a memory. Local scenes shared in local groups are a great way to achieve this.
5. It will strengthen your connection with the community
Finally, and I think most importantly, is this: spending time documenting and capturing the area you live in will connect you to the town in unexpected ways. I’ve noticed this happening to me and it’s been odd, but welcome.
I figured by now I was pretty locked into how I felt about my town. But that has more to do with history and routine than anything. Turns out spending a couple of hours sitting by the river taking pictures of the moon at sunset is a pretty grounding experience. Walking through town at 5:45 a.m. when everyone else is sleeping and I’m searching for a good sunrise spot is a pretty special way to spend a morning. Who knew?!
Main Street (Newmarket, NH) at sunrise, just after a snow storm.
There’s just something about being truly present in the place that I live that is so enlightening. Rather than just passing through on the way to some other destination, photographing my town, or the towns near me, forces me to use my senses and interact in a more genuine way. I’m not just searching for a parking spot while picking up take-out. Instead, I’m looking at how the light reflects off the side of a stone building. Or listening to the ice cracking in the river as the tide comes in.
I can honestly say that I see and feel my local community better now than I ever have before.
There you have it. My five reasons to focus your energy on local photography. Hopefully this piece inspires you to take a closer look at the world just outside your door. I’m confident there are amazing photos to be taken, and unique experiences to be had, just waiting out there. The only thing I’d caution … think twice before ordering the Czech dumplings. Those did not sit well.
