Johnstone photographer Graeme Hewitson wins prestigious award

But while the 50-year-old still enjoys visiting the likes of the Bluebell Woods, in Johnstone, and Castle Semple, in Lochwinnoch, his talents extend to almost every field of photography.

Now he is on top of the world after being named International Master Photographer of the Year in the annual MPA International Master Photography Awards.

The Johnstone dad-of-five received the same award in 2020 and said he did not expect to win one of the most prestigious competitions for professional photographers for a second time.

“It was a huge surprise,” Graeme told The Gazette. “The Master Photography Association is the top photographing body, so it’s a really special thing to win this title.

“I had the trophy in 2020 and then it went to Romania last year, so now it’s coming back to Renfrewshire, which is really nice.

“My favourite image that I submitted this year is from a Spartan photoshoot for a local bodybuilder, which almost looks like a movie poster, and it was the highest scoring image in its category.

“Another high-scoring image was one I took of the sculptor Alexander Stoddart, who is based in Paisley.”

As well as this latest honour, Graeme has been named Scottish Master Photographer of the Year four times in a row and received more than 300 awards during his career.

The former graphic designer, who grew up in Linwood and Houston, is also qualified with the Master Photographers Association as a ‘Fellow,’ which is the highest possible rank that can be attained in the industry.

Graeme said: “I’ve loved photography since I was a teenager, it was always a big hobby of mine.

“I decided to transition from graphic design to photography because I loved the instant satisfaction you get from it.

“I originally started working with a lot of architecture, scenery and landscapes but, after a few years, I realised my real passion is photographing people.”

In 2008, the former Gryffe High pupil set up his own business – Monument Photos – which provides a range of services, including school, wedding, portrait, sports, landscape and events photography.

Graeme currently works from his own purpose-built studio, which is a 300-square-feet log cabin situated in the back garden of his Johnstone home, where he lives with his wife Cherie and children.

He said: “I really enjoy the interaction with our clients and we get a huge amount of diversity in our work, so no two days are ever the same.

“I do a lot of family and newborn photography at the studio in my garden, as well as photos of athletes and clients from other walks of life.

“The studio was built by my brother, who is a carpenter, and it can take up to around 15 family members inside, so it’s pretty versatile.

“It’s also where we do all the editing. The only other employee is my 18-year-old son Aaron, who does a lot of the Photoshop side of things.”

Graeme believes his previous experience as a graphic designer, as well as his outgoing personality, helps to ensure his photos stand out from the competition.

He said: “I’m really passionate about my job, so with any photoshoot I do I’m always thinking in the background about it having award-winning standards.

“I love using really dramatic and dynamic lighting, which I think comes from the graphic design and artistic background I have.

“I would say I’m a people person and that’s a huge part of photography, whether you are working with a bride or a toddler. It’s important to have good interactions with clients as, the more relaxed they are, the better the final results will be.

“And even though I’ve picked up over 300 awards, I still continue to improve my photography and learn as much as I can on a daily basis.”

While Graeme has proven himself to be adept at snapping all kinds of shots, he admits that his favourite jobs are the ones that allow him to experiment.

“I really enjoy any jobs that have got a theme to them, whether that is steampunk, Egyptian or Mary Queen of Scots, as it really gets the creative juices flowing,” he added.

“I love photographing anything historical, such as a fantastic project I did where we had people posing as characters from the Bible.

“Portraiture is my favourite genre because you’re giving someone a really great experience and an image they can be part of and also really proud of.

“I’m very much an extrovert and enjoy working with people.”

When Graeme isn’t busy with one of his own projects, he is running workshops and online classes for those who also share his passion for the craft.

He added: “In many ways I’m self-taught and I try to share things with the community whenever I can. In the past, I’ve given talks to local camera clubs and youth groups.

“My advice to anyone considering a career as a professional photographer would be to learn as much as you can. Get to know your camera’s settings inside out and practice, practice, practice.

“For me, most of the time, it doesn’t feel like work and I actually look forward to a Monday morning.”

To find out more about Graeme’s work, visit www.monumentphotos.co.uk.