Hugh Maxwell is an award-winning landscape photographer, published author and writer, 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. That creativeness evolved during my teenage years whilst exploring the Ayrshire countryside. When cycling and walking across the landscape, I discovered photography to be the ideal medium for capturing and sharing memorable moments with others.
My first camera was a bright red, plastic Panorama Wide Pic that often captured ‘slightly out of focus’ panoramic images. I have my parents to thank as 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 photography and the outdoors continued to develop.
I completed an HND in Media & Communication, which included several photography modules, at Kilmarnock College. This course, and the positive guidance and support I received from the tutors, directly led to the start of my writing career. I’d always been fascinated by the history of things discovered whilst out walking and wrote multiple historical interest articles that were published over several years in The Scots Magazine and Scottish Memories Magazine. All were illustrated with my own photographs. The interest in photography, history and writing all continued to develop and led to me becoming an author. I wrote 13 different types of local history books for Stenlake Publishing - a popular UK book publisher with the ‘Then and Now’ postcard type books being illustrated with my own photography.
Around this time, a photograph of Greenan Castle, on the South Ayrshire coast, was chosen for the front cover of the Ayrshire and Isle of Arran tourist brochure. I also remember winning a year's worth of black and white film through a competition in Amateur Photographer Magazine and my mum then being unhappy at the fridge being packed full of film! ”
“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, family and writing commitments would often get in the way of creative photography and for many years I took only images of family, holidays or to illustrate specific articles and books.
In the autumn of 2022, just as I was about to turn the big five zero, I quit my job of 21 years working in a banking call centre. Suddenly, I had more time to visit locations when the light and weather were looking promising. This made all the difference and my creativity and confidence soared. Only a few months later, in the summer of 2023, I became a full-time carer for my elderly mum who suffers from severe physical restrictions and dementia. With little choice but to adapt my photography around her day to day needs, this resulted in dawn shoots becoming the norm. The light and tranquillity at this time is often very special and, despite the early rises and driving in the darkness to reach locations, I developed a deep meaningful connection to the landscape.
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 because I firmly believe great images are created by the craft, skill and personal vision of the photographer. Hard work, integrity, resilience, passion and a respect for the natural world are all equally important attributes. My photographs are created at the moment of capture, as I aim to spend as little time as possible sitting in front of a computer screen.
People often describe my style as being atmospheric, reflective, ethereal, tranquil and deeply rooted in the history and natural light of the landscape. My passion is simple: inspired and intrigued by the breath of history, I use natural light to frame unforgettable moments. The images I share on social media are often accompanied by a description of my thoughts and feelings at the time of pressing the shutter.
More recently, I’ve also developed a great fondness for shooting high contrast, moody and minimalist black and white images with both digital and film cameras. Several of these images have featured in Black + White Photography Magazine and were also shortlisted in the International Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition. I print my best work as part of my normal workflow because I believe a photograph only truly comes to life as a beautiful print that can be touched and admired.
I do hope you decide to follow my creative journey and if you would like to get in touch please use the contact page.”
Best Wishes
Hugh Maxwell
“My passion is simple: inspired and intrigued by the breath of history, I use natural light to frame unforgettable landscape moments..”
— Hugh Maxwell