My Kansas City Street Photography Project
I’ve always thought street photographers should photograph their hometown inside and out. Probably before you move on to somewhere else. I didn’t take my own advice, though. I spent years living in the downtown area, and I definitely didn’t make the most of it when it comes to street photography.
I’ve been away for a year, but I’m coming back to my hometown of Kansas City, and things are going to be different this time around. I’m at a point where I’m focused on photography, and I’m not going to let anything get in my way.
I have some decent street photos from Kansas City. It’s a solid, small start. But I have a long way to go to create the Kansas City street photography project that I’ll be working on moving forward.
What it’s Like to Do Street Photography in Kansas City
Compared to big cities like New York City for street photography, finding opportunities to photograph people in Kansas City is much more limited. There are pockets of higher-trafficked areas in the city, but they’re spread out.
Of course, Kansas City provides plenty of opportunity to make cityscape/urban landscape pictures that don’t heavily feature people in them. When it comes to street photography vs. cityscapes, though, I’m much more on the side of street photography. For me, street photography is more engaging and interesting to photograph. I like taking cityscape photos when it’s my only option, but it can get a bit boring for me. That’s been changing some recently, though, as I’m coming to appreciate the works of Stephen Shore and William Eggleston more.
In a place like Kansas City, I have to photograph some cityscapes and urban landscapes, as if I didn’t, I’d get bored out of my mind because there would be long stretches of taking no photos. Sometimes the streets are just empty, and that’s just the way it’s going to be. Kansas City is a commuter city, and most people get around by car. Improvements have been made to the downtown area over the last couple of decades; what was once a barren wasteland of parking lots now has some life to it.
What I’ll Do to Increase My Chances of Success
In order to photograph people in a place like Kansas City, there are a few simple strategies that can help.
For one, knowing the areas that have higher foot traffic is something that I’ll keep in mind. I know that during the day, I can go to the River Market, downtown, and The Plaza to do street photography. There are other spots like the Crossroads, Midtown, and Westport that are OK options at times. I’m also going to start paying more attention and making mental notes of when these areas tend to have more going on in them.
I’m also going to start paying more attention to events going on in the city and marking them on my calendar. I gravitate more to just regular street photography that shows everyday life unrelated to events, but I have to play the hand I’m dealt and make the most of it.
Some Silver Linings
My reason for moving back to Kansas City is primarily to live close to family and friends. There are things that I love about the area, but there’s a lot that frustrates me too. It’s a very car-oriented city. I lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for three years, and that really made me realize how nice it is to be able to get around without having to drive. Having to drive everywhere and sit in traffic sucks. I think it’s partly what has driven so many Americans crazy. I don’t think it’s a very natural way to live.
There have been improvements in recent years, though. One is the streetcar. I love how the streetcar in Kansas City is free. It’s never fun trying fiddle with paying when you get on a bus or other public transportation.
The streetcar has been in service for years now, and connected the River Market area to the Union Station area. Now, it’s being expanded down past the plaza. I think the full route will be about thirteen miles. I’m optimistic about the benefits this will bring to the city. It’ll make it easier to get around the city and result in growth along the route, leading to more foot traffic.
There are a couple of other projects in the works in Kansas City that will be good for the city and should offer new areas for street photography. One is a new development at the Berkley Riverfront next to the stadium for the KC Current, which was completed in 2024. They broke ground on a mixed-use development that will go next to the stadium. In addition to new housing being put in, there will also be bars and restaurants. I’m sure this will bring a lot of people to the area, especially on days when the Current play. This is a great development for the city, because this area was not put to good use before. Previously, there was a park, but it basically felt like an unused vacant lot, so this is a big improvement.
There have also been talks of creating a public space on the Rock Island Bridge in Kansas City, which would basically put an entertainment district on a bridge in the West Bottoms area. This is a cool idea, and I hope it gets implemented, but it keeps being pushed back.
The main thing I wanted to highlight is that while things aren’t changing as fast as I’d like, things are moving in the right direction.
