Hugh Maxwell is an award-winning landscape photographer based in Ayrshire in the south-west of Scotland.
My Journey…
“I was always drawing as a child so this was the start of my journey. The creative urge returned in my teenage years when I began to explore the Ayrshire countryside through cycling and walking. I discovered photography was the perfect way to capture and share the beautiful views I saw with family and friends.
My first camera was a plastic, bright red compact, with a fixed lens, that captured ‘out of focus’ panoramic images. I have my parents to thank, and if I remember correctly, it was obtained through a cigarette packet promotion by collecting a number of vouchers. It’s the only time I’ve ever been grateful for my parents smoking!
This was later upgraded to my first proper film SLR camera, a Pentax ME-Super with a bashed pentaprism, from Hector McDonald’s camera shop in Kilmarnock. Despite its dishevelled appearance, it worked perfectly and my creativity flourished. A passion for both photography and the outdoors quickly developed.
I read as many photography books and magazines as I could to learn about light and composition. I also remember winning a year's worth of black and white film through a competition in Amateur Photographer Magazine. My mum certainly wasn’t very happy at the fridge being full of film that’s for sure! Around this time some of my images were published in photography and Scottish interest magazines and a photograph of Greenan Castle, on the South Ayrshire coast, was also chosen for the front cover of the Ayrshire and Isle of Arran tourist brochure.”
“A steep learning curve followed when I moved over to digital in 2007, suddenly it was all about pixels and megabytes, although I stayed loyal to the Pentax brand continuing to use their cameras. Work and family commitments would often get in the way of photography and for many years I took only images of family and holidays.
In the autumn of 2022, just as I was about to turn the big five zero, I took a break from my job of 21 years working in a banking call centre. I now had more time to enjoy being outdoors creating images. Travelling to locations when the light and weather were looking promising made all the difference. My creativity and confidence soared.
I entered my first national competition, Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year, in the summer of 2024. An image of the Lowran Burn on the banks of Loch Ken in Dumfries and Galloway, was Commended in the Landscape Category and published in the official winners book - Collection 9.
Further success followed with another photograph, titled ‘Rock Fern’, shortlisted in the Scottish Botanical Category of the Scottish Nature Photography Awards. It was also published in the Portfolio Yearbook 2024 along with a short biography.
I’m definitely old-fashioned. I believe great images are created by the craftsmanship and skill of the photographer combined with their personal vision. Hard work, integrity, determination, passion and a respect for the natural world are all equally important attributes. My photographs are created in-camera, as I aim to spend as little time as possible sitting in front of a computer screen. The images I share on social media are normally accompanied by a short description of my thoughts and feelings at the time of pressing the shutter.
I simply enjoy being outdoors with the camera, capturing natural light in all its forms, creating memorable images I can share with others. I hope you enjoy looking through my photographs and decide to follow my creative journey on Facebook.
If you would like to get in touch please use the contact page.”
Best Wishes
Hugh Maxwell
“I simply enjoy being outdoors with the camera, capturing natural light in all its forms, creating memorable images I can share with others.”
— Hugh Maxwell