Leather Craftsmen Albums

So many photographs these days end up spending their days relegated to Facebook albums and archived hard disks, never getting the chance to show themselves off in their full glory.

With printed photos typically reserved for special occasions, it's only right that they should be reproduced in high quality, bound in an album that will last a lifetime.

Clients often ask about photo albums.  They can vary so widely in cost and quality, so I wanted to take the time to show you what we produce, and what to expect if you're considering an album from us.

Our albums are produced by Leather Craftsmen, who have been producing high quality albums for nearly 70 years.  Hand crafted, these weighty albums exude quality and craftsmanship.

As you would expect from a handmade product, a myriad of options exist for everything from cover treatments to hinge types.  The images show a 3500 series lay-flat album finished in silver pebble metallic fabric.

Album layouts are custom designed to tell your own story and allow for multiple images on each page, stretching up to double side spreads for the most precious shots.

Album pricing depends on the number of pages required and the size of the album, starting at $600 for a 10"x10" Leather Album with 20 sides.

Vietnam Trip

Keryn and I have recently returned from the most amazing trip to Vietnam.

It wasn't a photography trip, but a holiday.

Our plan was to head from North to South calling in at Hanoi, Ha Long, Hoi An, Da Lat and Saigon along with a handful of other towns en route.  We (and by we, I mean Keryn) had mapped out a range of transport options from sleeper trains to planes and kayaks, from motorbikes to boats and cars - by the end of the trip we'd taken each option and more!

I promised myself that I'd only take the bare minimum of photography gear, so equipped with my trusty Canon 5D MkII, 3 lenses (well, I needed a wide angle and could hardly leave the 50 or 85mm primes at home) and a bag full of clothes, we headed to Melbourne Airport.

First stop in Vietnam was Ha Noi.

The second we stepped out of the taxi it was clear that Asian traffic had arrived.  In abundance!

Crossing the Road - Vietnamese Style

We quickly learned that crossing the road requires a different technique than in Australia, Europe or the US.  For any soon-to-be first time travellers to Vietnam here's a tip:  Walk slowly, confidently and predictably and just walk into the melee.  Don't stop, speed up, slow down or even THINK about turning back.  Somehow this technique works even in the situation above where you can't even see the road!

We had planned to meet with friends who were also travelling a similar route, and Ha Noi was the first time our group was all in one place.  Shortly after checked in to our hotel, we met up and headed out for our first chance to explore the city.

Ha Noi was a city filled with treasures.  From $0.25 glasses of the local "bia hoi" to the exhibition of Imperial Treasures at the National Museum of Vietnamese History

Trash and Treasure in Ha Noi

From Ha Noi we took an overnight excursion to Ha Long Bay (literally: Descending Dragon Bay.  A UNESCO world heritage site, Ha Long Bay is home to hundreds of Limestone islands, jutting out of the water, creating a picture perfect backdrop for locals and tourists alike.

Ha Long Bay

Our vessel for the journey was a luxuriously finished 52 cabin Vietnamese Junk that spent 2 days sailing around the bay, stopping at floating villages and caves for those who wanted a side of adventure with their decadent main course.