Alan James Raddon's photostream  

Another archive photograph taken by Tlopfi lebodofski. In the background you can see some of my collection of very early Rope Soled Slippers 82-84. I love this photgraph with the bare light bulb reflected in my eyes and Tlopfi in the background with his Roliflex 2 & 1/4 camera

Another Archive photograph - 35 Transparancy. They are signed and dated 13.7.92 my 48th birthday and I love them to bits. I'd had the idea for months and eventually bought the armchair from an Antique Dealer in Aberaeron. The covering was well worn but the back of the chair was in perfect condition. So I carefully took the studs out and cut out the Uppers and replaced the holes with Olive Green leather and nailed it back and made the slippers.

Back to my Archive photographs.
I won an Award with these Red Patent Shoes back in 1991 at the UK Shoe and Sock Awards run by the Council of the Society of Chiropodists. The Last Awards were in 1993, I think because major shoe manufactures in the UK were not winning any awards whereas lone Shoemakers like me were.
What is interesting about these shoes is that they are my original design with three layers of leather in the sole with no rubber soles protecting the leather from wear. The first layer is a soft leather that I still use in the shoes I make now. The second sandwiched layer is very soft and the third layer a harder leather used in conventional shoes. In the early 90's I changed the sole design to use two layers of leather which I protected from wear with a thin hard wearing rubber compound 2mm sole and a 5mm heel.

My full page A5 ad for the 2012 Aberaeron Tourist Guide

Today I had some spare time and opened a plans chest draw to reveal some of my old photographs of my shoes - pre digital photography. Browsing through my 35mm transparencies I came across this photograph of my Dinner Suit Shoes. They are signed and dated 1.8.92.
It took me half the day to work out how to scan the transparency into my computer and another hour to retouch the dust and scratches. I scanned it at 2,400dpi and I think the quality of the photograph is great considering it's a 35mm shot.
Now that I have opened the plans chest drawer I will upload more archive photographs on a regular basis...watch this space. Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon! Happy New Moon!
www.shandals.co.uk