"Images, like words, arise from the same place in memory… and follow one another like pages in a book we have long carried inside us."
W.G. Sebald
— Austerlitz
We create museum-quality books of people’s lives and legacies
We transform lived experience into art by bringing writing and photography together to reflect and preserve a life well-lived - a legacy edition.
Each project is a collaboration between you, and photographer James Andrew Rosen and writer Scott Duncan. We blend the disciplines of image-making and narrative craft into compelling story.
What Is a Legacy Book?
A legacy book is a custom, ghostwritten memoir that combines professional writing, fine-art photography, and archival materials to preserve a person’s life story in a beautifully crafted, heirloom-quality volume. Unlike standard photo books or self-published memoirs, legacy books are commissioned, bespoke works, created through interviews, storytelling, design, and fine-art bookbinding. Each book is made to be held, shared, and passed down through generations.
What We Build Together
Creation
We uncover the defining experiences, philosophies, and family stories that shape a life. Scott turns these into narrative, while James creates a visual language that reveal character.
Archival photos and documents are carefully restored and reproduced. Writing, photography, design, and production are handled in-house to ensure nothing feels generic or outsourced.
Direction
We manage every stage, from planning to production, so you don’t have to. This includes timelines, communication, and coordination with trusted artisans, printers, and binders.
All materials, proofs, and finishes are reviewed carefully to meet our shared standards. From first concept to final book, we carry the creative and logistical load.
The Book
Each book is printed on archival, acid-free paper using fine-art inks for depth and longevity with hand-sewn bindings.
Covers are custom-made in linen, leather, or vellum, with debossed titles and protective slipcases. Every detail is selected to reflect the story’s essence—made to be read, appreciated, and preserved for generations.
Who Commissions a Legacy Book?
This is a deeply personal project. Our clients include:
Families who wish to preserve a parent or grandparent’s story before memories fade
Individuals reflecting on a life’s work, values, or creative journey
People passing on immigration, cultural, or entrepreneurial legacies
Families seeking a lasting heirloom to share with future generations
Anyone who believes a life, well lived, deserves to be told beautifully
Those honouring the quiet power of memory and storytelling
Why a Legacy Book Matters
A legacy book is a gift of permanence in a world of forgetting.
Stories vanish unless they are intentionally preserved
Friends, colleagues, even those closest to us often know only fragments of a life’s full story.
These books become anchors of identity, memory, and belonging
They capture the nuance of values, struggles, humour, and triumph
Above all, they create something lasting—one generation speaking meaningfully to the next
Begin a conversation
We work with a small number of clients each year to create personal, lasting books. If you're considering a project, share a few details below. We’ll be in touch to begin the conversation.