We like to buy ourselves little luxury indulgences once in a while that make us feel good—something as small as a fancy bar of Swiss chocolate, or maybe a new piece of jewelry or a designer shirt. So my thinking is, why not do that with camera accessories? It makes sense. After all, you’re likely to use your camera more than you’ll wear a shirt, and too much chocolate is bad for you. When I treated myself to my Leica Q2 Monochrom, I did just that. I bought the perfect luxury accessory for it: a Hawksmill strap, proudly handmade in England.
It’s been interesting to see street photography come out from under the shadow of the travel photography umbrella in recent years to become one of the most popular genres of photography today.
What’s been surprising is seeing so many photographers unnecessarily buy expensive luxury cameras to do street photography—even absolute beginners. One could argue that if a nice camera makes you feel good and want to pick it up to use more, that’s great. I bought one for this very reason!
But what I don’t understand is these same guys—who appreciate the fine German craftsmanship that has gone into their camera—why are they putting plastic straps on it that have been mass-produced in China? That’s like buying a fine Brioni suit and getting your shoes from Walmart. Why? Just why?
When I got my Leica Q2 Monochrom, it made sense to put a finely crafted handmade strap from England on my handmade German camera. The two go together. They belong together.
Hawksmill
I found a small company in England called Hawksmill. Their philosophy is to make the best possible product with the finest materials, because they love photography. These are made in small quantities in a factory with over 200 years of leather manufacturing experience. They source their leather from England, Italy, Belgium, and the USA. Their goal isn’t to mass-produce a cheap product and sell as many as possible. I like that. That makes me feel good.
I bought the Westminster, and we’ve been inseparable for about 20 months now. The leather continues to become softer and even comfier to wear around my neck with each passing month. It is, without doubt, the best camera strap you could want for street, travel, and general walking around with your camera. It’s not adjustable, so you order it in one of five pre-made lengths available.
Recently, they sent me another model—the Borough—which is adjustable. The main strap is a little thinner. It’s very elegant, yet understated. The Borough suits a Leica M or Q, Fujifilm X100 series, or a little Sony or Olympus.
The Westminster, being wider, suits larger cameras. It looks good on my Nikon Z6 III. Although for me, it’s the perfect companion for my Leica Q2M. It’s my favorite strap of the two because of its simplicity.
Why Is Leather The Best Option For a Strap?
A beautifully crafted leather strap will age with grace. As the leather absorbs oil from your skin, wears over time, and collects scratches, it develops a rich sheen, color, and patina. I feel my leather strap collects stories from our adventures together and shares them through that patina. It has a timeless charm that fits so well with the timeless charm of my Leica.
Leather softens, but never weakens. It maintains its strength and durability, and I’m guessing will outlive both my cameras and me.
A synthetic, machine-made strap—basically a strip of plastic—on the other hand, starts to look dirty and worn over time and becomes very unappealing.
My well-aged Westminster strap has become my companion, not just a camera accessory. It’s become a part of my journey. I love my strap.
If you want to show your camera you love it, you can get more details about Hawksmill’s straps at hawksmill.com. They make some lovely bags too.
Am I mad? I might be. Let me know, leave a comment.
