Big Smoke, Small Talk: Street Photography in Manchester vs London
Have you ever heard the saying, “A lawyer never asks a question he doesn’t already know the answer to”? That might apply here. Which is the better city to shoot in? Well, that’s the article wrapped up, then.
London is one of the street photography capitals of the world, rubbing shoulders with Paris, New York, Tokyo and the like. Manchester, meanwhile, rarely makes it onto that esteemed list.
The city I now call home, is only a couple of decades removed from the days when pimps, pushers, and prostitutes loitered on the edge of our high street — what is now the “Northern Quarter,” Manchester’s self-proclaimed capital of cool.
These days, tourists flock there for craft beer and quirky shops. Head further up the road to Ancoats, once a no-go zone, and you’ll now find yuppies and trust-fund hipsters sipping flat whites. Yes, gentrification has well and truly arrived, as Manchester cements its claim as the UK’s second city (you didn’t think it was Birmingham, did you?!).
Shooting in Manchester: A Mixed Picture
So, what about the street photography? Well, it’s a mixed picture. I’ve lived here for ten years, watching the city grow more prosperous as tower blocks rise seemingly by the day. Cranes crowd the skyline, and historic architecture is often cast into shadow by the latest glass filing cabinet. Yet beneath it all, Manchester still feels a bit like a big town. It undeniably has a city vibe, but travel just a mile or two beyond the centre and you’ll find a very different story.
There are some hip, gentrified pockets — Didsbury, Chorlton, Altrincham and others. If I were to compare them to London, they might be a bit like Richmond or Twickenham, in feel, though without quite the same polish, and certainly nothing as eye-catching as the Thames running through Richmond.
There’s plenty of new money flowing into these areas, but also long-time residents who remember Manchester before the Arndale bombing—a moment that, for good or ill, became a catalyst for redevelopment.
What I’m getting at is that a huge proportion of Manchester’s population has lived here all their lives. It doesn’t have that London feeling, where so many residents are transplants chasing success in film, music, or the creative arts. And it’s the people—their personalities and quirks—that give an area much of its character, shaping the aesthetics that can elevate street photography.
There’s no shortage of characters in the city—hipsters, upwardly mobile fashionistas, and the occasional sophisticated gent in a wide-brimmed hat—but the contrasts are stark. Up here, people wear a lot of black, which for me, as a colour photographer, is a street shooter’s nightmare. In general, there’s a noticeable lack of colour in people’s outfits.
Some recent photos in Manchester (below). I find my Manchester photos or more focused on people rather than locations
London: The City That Never Sleeps (or Stops Shooting)
Another thing London has over its northern brothers and sisters is architecture—think the Barbican, More London Place, the Millennium Bridge. Many times I’ve visited these spots and found myself on autopilot, just standing there, waiting for something to happen — be it a character or a moment in the scene —and it always did. And beyond the architecture, there are the characterful neighbourhoods: Soho, Shoreditch, Brick Lane, Camden—teeming with weirdos, freaks, geeks, artists, yuppies, and hipsters alike.
So, what have I spent umpteen paragraphs trying to say? That London is better for street photography than Manchester? You already knew that. The more interesting question is: is it better being a street photographer in London? Now that’s a question with some intriguing answers.
If you’re into video games, then if street photography were a game, London would be the level you unlock with a cheat code—some obscure combination of buttons on the title screen, a special sound confirming you’d cracked it—and suddenly you’re outside the Barbican on a sunny day.
But if I recall the thrill of hunting cheat codes in magazines as a child, the initial excitement always faded once you’d shortcut your way to the game’s secrets—only to realise you’d had too much of a good thing.
Some shots from London over the years (below), taking in interesting characters or areas.
Lessons for Street Photographers
So, how am I going to lash this thing together and give you a conclusion so you can get back to Alex Webb’s greatest hits? Well, to play devil’s advocate: being a street photographer in a global city can be great for your keeper rate when you unload your SD card, but it can also make you lazy. If you’re used to shooting in these bustling cities and then move to a quieter one—or, God forbid, a town or village—you might find you have to work much harder to get a good shot. Many street photographers semi-retire, saving their cameras for holidays, festivals, or car shows. I think that’s a real shame.
Conversely, I think shooting in a smaller city before moving to a larger one is like a boxer training with heavy gloves, then shedding them at the right moment—a sudden rush of liberation. Sluggish arms become fast hands, and everything feels fluid and easy. In the same way, the street photographer who apprentices in a smaller city develops a sharp eye and honed instincts, ready to test themselves on a bigger stage.
I play guitar (another of my many talents), and I’ve often been told: why buy a more expensive instrument if you can’t get the best out of the cheap one you already have? I think the same applies to street photography. Could someone standing in the same spot as you get the same shot? If the answer is yes, maybe it’s time to work on your photographer’s eye. Being in a great location and getting out regularly can certainly help you capture good photos—but don’t let it make you lazy. A great photographer is a great photographer, no matter the location.
Takeaway
Whether it’s Manchester or London, what matters most is curiosity, observation, and a willingness to chase the unexpected. Global cities offer spectacle, colour, and endless characters—but smaller cities sharpen your eye and instincts. The best street photographers don’t rely on location — they rely on themselves.
