When FashionPhotographyBlog.com was approached by Cecilia Gallery to review their camera straps I was excited. I had seen their products on their website and on first impressions I thought they looked really trendy and exuded quality… a perfectly stylish camera accessory. I have always been intrigued about ancient civilizations, particularly the Incas, so when I saw their hand-woven Peruvian designs I was in a happy place.
If you haven’t heard of Cecilia Gallery before, the story of the online store began in Cusco, Peru in 2011. During the filming of a documentary, Michael Fleisch purchased a woolen belt made of alpaca wool from a peddler on the street. With a belt and scrap leather in hand he presented these items to a cobbler and requested that they be fashioned into something that resembled his strap for his Canon camera. The result was the basis of a unique product that he and his friend, MacLean Fisher could create a potential business together, that lead them to León, Mexico where they worked with the skilled leather artisans there. Two years later in 2013, Celia Gallery was formed.
Cecilia Gallery stocks a range of designs of their camera straps, all made with real Argentinian cowhide leather tanned in different shades, to suit any camera color, whether for DSLRs or vintage camera models. The straps are strong yet soft under the fingers, while the textile design has been interwoven using genuine baby alpaca wool and come in a range of patterns and solid colors as seen on their website.
As some of you are aware, I have been known to be an avid traveler, and generally, a busy person always on the move. When I am hopping across country to country and sprinting across town for my next appointment I ideally want all my equipment to be lightweight, but can also handle some rugged wear. It has to be comfortable to wear around my neck or over my shoulder for long periods of time (many hours). It also has to feel good, look good and actually be functional with my avid schedule, which is why I was keen to give Cecilia Gallery’s camera straps a try.
When I opened the package, to inspect the contents, I was not disappointed. The camera straps look even better than the pictures. On close inspection I can see the intricacies of the detailed pattern of the Challaypu (representing mountains) and Q’enqo (representing rivers) designs and stitching between the leather backing and nylon reinforcements, as well as the incredible softness of the leather front.
The price range for these products range between the $ 90-100 mark, which is the price of quality and reliability, when you are looking for a camera strap that will provide a return on investment and be able to last in the long run, due to its attention to its workmanship (as explained on the information card that comes with the product). The straps can handle the weight of my camera, and has adjustable lengths.
So what kind of photographer would these camera straps suit? The connoisseur of fine accessories, the eclectic and the trendsetter are what comes to mind, someone who is looking to spice up their camera with a unique camera strap that is not only aesthetic to the eye, but also durable and practicality.
Stay tuned to FashionPhotographyBlog.com because we will be announcing how one of our lucky readers can win one of these gorgeous camera straps from Cecilia Gallery really soon!
PHOTO SOURCE:
Images courtesy of Cecilia Gallery
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