After a difficult period of loss, illness, and recovery, Michael Mauldin needed a reason to return to the road. He found one in the names scattered across the American map: Paris, Moscow, London, Cairo, Hollywood, and dozens of other small towns carrying names much larger than themselves.

Over the next ten months, Mauldin completed thirteen trips through fifteen states, photographing whatever drew his attention along the way. His images move beyond traditional travel photography, revealing quiet streets, faded buildings, working landscapes, roadside curiosities, and moments of unexpected humor and beauty.

Small Towns, Big Shoes is both a photographic exploration of overlooked America and a personal story about loss, movement, and beginning to heal, one small town at a time.