Life as a Small Town Photographer

It's not all skyscrapers, helicopter flights, glamorous models, and huge budgets. So, for those who also find themselves in a small city or town, here are some tips to carve out a career.

The internet is equal parts amazing and horrendous for our happiness. There is so much great content out there, then there are the trolls, the incorrect information being touted as fact, and worst of all, the keeping up with the Joneses mentality. I love watching a Neistat video as much as (probably more) than the average person. However, for most of us, that isn't our life. We either don't have the talent, work ethic, skills, or the want to live that life. 

For a long time, I was torn between where I was happy and what I thought being successful in my career meant. I thought I should be living in London, Paris, or New York if I really wanted to be taken seriously as a photographer. And in certain genres (fashion, for example) this certainly is the case, but in the vast majority of photographic genres, it simply isn't true. Now, the UK is a very, very small country. I can travel anywhere in the country with ease. At worst, it's an overnight stay in a hotel so I am not exhausted. The USA is very different in this way. But being in a small city outside of London is culturally a very long way from the capital. 

After making coming to terms with where I was happy and what I wanted to do with my life, I managed to realign what I thought being a successful photographer meant.

In this video, I go over some tips that can help you along your career path if you also want to avoid moving to a major city, be that for lifestyle choices, financial practicalities, or that you have a family, and your roots are tied to your current location.