Catching Up With Rob Hammer on His 'Barbershops of America' Travels
By: Sarah Wolstoncroft
Last time we
talked to San Diego photographer Rob Hammer, he was traveling the United States, camera in tow, in search of the most
unique barbershops in the country.
At the time, he had just put out the first edition of his photo collection "Barbershops of America." Catching up with
Hammer, 38, nearly two years later, "Barbershops of America" has now released a second edition: "Then and Now." Looking
back at the project, the man behind the camera said it was "collectively one of the greatest learning experiences of my
life." Traveling over 85,000 miles by car with his dog and his camera for the project, Hammer soon realized he had to
abandon his online research and let the road lead him to the perfect destinations. His search was for the hidden gems,
not the places he said "exist on places like Facebook or Yelp." "My goal was to spend as much time off the highways and
out of cities as possible," Hammer said. "This has allowed me to see parts of this country that most people never do,
towns that might not be on a map but would be looked over even if they were. Being in these places shows you how
differently people live." He believes the world sees "a distorted view of American life," glamorized in television shows
that focus on the struggles of navigating big cities like Los Angeles and New York. While photographing barbershops in
more rural areas, Hammer found that "things are much simpler and move at a much slower pace." He said the locals were
good people who were proud of where they came from and "very happy to share what comes from their home."
"The first book was entirely made
up of old-school shops with only a small handful of the younger guys in the back," Hammer said. "The second book is just
about 50/50. Over the past two years, I continued shooting the old timers while also putting more of a focus on the
'next generation' of barbers across the country." He said, now that he stepped away from his own "stubborn ignorance,"
his project finally feels complete. "Once I got my head out of my ass, I realized that the recent barber boom has
produced a lot of creative guys who are passionate about carrying on the old traditions. So, I started looking around
and found a lot of beautiful shops." Back in cities like Long Beach, California, Hammer stumbled upon Syndicate
Barbershop and its owner Tim Trezise, 36.
I With a mixture of old elements like vintage porcelain chairs and neon signs and
new elements like barbers with tattoo-covered bodies, Hammer knew Syndicate Barbershop was the perfect choice for the
cover of his book's second edition. Tresize said, "it was an honor" his shop was featured on the front cover and
described Hammer as a "killer photographer" and "genuine dude" who works for the love not the money.
I "No one has done what he's done before with documenting barbershops. He's met
more barbers than barbers have met, really. I don't know if anyone's met more barbers that Rob. He's seen the business
in and out," Trezise said. These days, Hammer mostly keeps up with new-school barbers like Trezise via Instagram.
However, he tries to pop into shops he's previously shot when he passes through town. Hammer said their support has been
"unreal." In general, he said one of his favorite things about today's barbers is their support of each other and the
barbershop industry. "It would be so easy for one barber to hate the next guy or just treat him like the competition,
but they don't," Hammer said. "They are all connected and try to make one another better. So, that positivity and
support has spilled over on to me as well. I'm lucky to have met a lot of these guys and have them embrace what I'm
doing." In the future, Hammer hopes to take his barbershop search international and find another passion project to
pursue.
Check Out More From The Grooming Artist
Is Shaving with a Safety Razor Better?
Shaving is a daily ritual for many, and like most routines, it's easy to stick with what you know. For most of us, t...
The Beginner's Guide to Safety Razor Shaving
Via Eldar Nazarov | Unsplash
Welcome to the world of safety razor shaving! If you're tired of the high costs and med...
Benefits of Coconut Oil in Shaving Cream
We can never be too careful when it comes to what we put on our face. When in doubt, it’s always better to go the nat...