If you’ve been hitting the ‘new year, new you’ bandwagon this week, then your mission may have taken you on a hunt for the best barbers of Brisbane. While our city boasts its fair share of good old-fashioned grooming houses, we’ve stumbled upon a gem of a photographic essay exploring some of America’s most charming salons. What started out as a personal project in Southern California has evolved into an incredible online exhibition and a hardcover tome covering more than 70 barbershops across 50 states.

Over two-and-a-half years, San Diego-based photographer Rob Hammer travelled across the continent to visit more than 600 barbershops, learning about the fascinating history of barbershop culture and the moving personal stories of the scissor-wielding shearers behind the shopfronts. From New York to Maryland to South Carolina to Texas, Barbershops of America is a stunning tribute to the old-school craft. Check out more of Rob’s photographic projects – including his current work-in-progress, Hoops – and order the book for international delivery.