ML Leddy Cowboy Boots

Custom Cowboy Boot Photographs

Legendary Western Craftsmanship

ML Leddy’s has been making custom cowboy boots in Texas since 1922, and you can feel every bit of that history when you step into their workshop in San Angelo. The storefront is polished and proud—rows of exquisite boots, saddles, and a name that’s been part of Western tradition for over a century. But it’s what’s happening in the back that really caught my attention.

That’s where I spent the day, photographing the boot makers. No models, no staging, just real craftsmen doing the work like it’s been done for generations. Some of these guys have been with Leddy’s for decades. They know the smell of each kind of leather, the sound of a good stitch, the weight of the right tool. Nothing leaves that shop without passing through their hands.

The space itself isn’t glamorous. Harsh light, scuffed floors, machines that look older than most of us. But that’s the point. This isn’t about trends, it’s about tradition. Watching them work, you realize these boots aren’t just footwear. They’re a continuation of something bigger. A legacy. A relationship between maker and wearer that starts long before the first fitting and lasts well beyond the last step.

Photographing in that room felt less like documenting a product and more like honoring a process. This is cowboy culture too, not just on the back of a horse, but in the quiet focus of someone building something with care, precision, and pride. Something that each loyal customer will wear with pride for the rest of their lives.

Go HERE to see more of my Western Photography And contact me directly if you’d like a photography print of ML Leddy’s - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Custom sign at ML Leddy’s in San Angelo, TX.

Wood boot lasts fill the shelves at ML Leddy’s

Alligator leather cowboy boots

Making custom cowboy boots in Texas

Handmade cowboy boots

Stitching cowboy boots by hand

Measuring a boot last for handmade cowboy boots in Texas

Wood nails attach a boot sole at ML Leddy’s in San Angelo, TX

Handmade cowboy boots in Texas

Custom boot lasts

Old cowboy boot parts

Custom cowboy boots from ML Leddy in San Angelo, TX

The Gunsmith

Always blows my mind to think about the simple act of talking and where it can lead. A while back I stopped in Laramie, Wyoming to say hi to a barber I’ve known there for a few years. Afterward while walking Mojo around town I came upon a gunsmith shop (not this one) a few blocks off the main street. A gunsmith at work is something I’ve been wanting to photograph, so we popped in and introduced ourselves. That interaction didn’t result in the desired outcome but it was still informational/entertaining. The owner didn’t want to be photographed for a variety of reasons. Some of them valid. The rest were…….irrational??!! The somewhat brief conversation consisted of his opinion on the world today and how “you can’t even go to Denver anymore because everybody is getting shot.” He asked if I had a gun and was upset to hear that I only kept it in my truck. “That’s not good enough. You have to keep it on you! That’s when they get you, when you’re getting out of your truck !”. I’m not disagreeing that the world is a sort of a disaster, but it also seemed like his thoughts were that of a person who might not ever leave their small town. Maybe I’m wrong?! And no disrespect to small towns. They are my favorite. Afterward I asked if there are any other gunsmiths in the area. He replied with very vague information about a guy that possibly works out of his house on a dead end street down near the highway. So I went looking and somehow found the place only recognizable by small stenciled letters “Gun Shop Parking” on the chimney bricks near the front gate. Otherwise the house was totally nondescript and didn’t show any other signs of life. A knock on the door confirmed nobody was home. Not a big deal. It was on my radar for the next trip through Wyoming.

Click HERE to see more from my “At Work” series.

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Gunsmith

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Benelli - Carved in the Chapel

Duck Hunting Documentary - Benelli

Waterfowl Culture - Photography

It’s a real honor to end 2021/begin 2022 with the introduction of this project that’s been a long time coming. Story telling is something I’ve become very passionate about but it becomes even more fun when you are able to tell the story of someone that’s just as passionate about what they do. And then the cherry on top comes when that person and all the people you’re working with are your friends. I’m very grateful for everything about this project and to be able to tell Zach Benson’s story. He’s a wildly talented guy that’s overflowing with enthusiasm for waterfowl hunting as well as the one of a kind duck decoys that he creates from scratch.

This was one of the first times that I chose to step away from the camera for the most part. Instead taking on the producer role and had a lot of fun with working with a team to create something we are all proud of. All of the beautiful visuals you see were shot by Jordan Valente. We really had a blast making this thing. Loved every second of it. The early mornings. Late nights. Days standing nipple deep in 50 degree water. Laughs. Good food. Whisky. Laughs. All of it.

Please enjoy this 14 minute documentary and feel free to share it with anyone you know that might appreciate Zach’s story. And you can follow along with him on Instagram @benson_decoys or on his website www.zach-benson.com

You can also view more of Jordan Valente’s work at www.amilewest.com Another part of the team was Stephen Werk who did a lot of the editing along with Jordan. He’s got a beautiful documentary of his own out called Sons of Mezcal.

Benelli - Carved in the Chapel