Last year I got a call to do a shoot for a specialty publication in Columbia, TN. I love working in small towns with small businesses. This call was to shoot an editorial at Briar Works. Briar Works is one of just a handful of custom pipe makers. It was fascinating getting to photograph the process of making a briar pipe. My Great-grandfather was a pipe smoker, and despite the fact that I only met him once or twice I still have some very vivid memories of the smell of his farm and of the pipe smoke. It was fun getting to spend the day in downtown Columbia, TN. It is great to see a small town reforming a great downtown business district. Check out the pictures below!

This was a really fun story to shoot. I learned a great deal about how pipes are made, and about the rituals behind pipe smoking. Nick Bumgardner is a commercial photographer based out of Nashville, TN. While Nick focuses his work on food, product and beverage photography he has a long history of shooting editorial assignments.