Two years in asylums wins Scots photographer four top UK awards in ten days

Dec. 8, 2010 - PRLog -- Normally focussing on fashion, wedding and landscape work, Hamish, who has photographic studios in Ayrshire and Tuscany, was recognised for an unusually haunting body of work which depicted bleak and derelict European mental asylums.


In the space of ten days, 46 year old Scott-Brown, collected Fellowships from The British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP), The Master Photographers Association (MPA); and an Associateship from The Royal Photographic Society.

Hamish’s Fellowship project represents two years’ work and extensive travel in northern Europe, including locations in Italy, German and Latvia.



Surprisingly, Hamish, whose work is currently being recognised at the highest level, has only been working as a professional photographer for the last year and a half. Having initially trained as a photographer in his late teens and early 20's, Hamish actually spent the majority of his working life carving out a career in both primary and higher education. It wasn't until an elective redundancy Autumn of 2009 that he began seriously developing his photographic business and completing his Post Graduate Masters in Photography at The University of Cumbria.

With a particular passion for contemporary fashion photography, Hamish began developing a unique body of work focusing on the female form. His work with Scottish, Italian and Eastern Block models is simply stunning. However, most of his subjects are not professional models and he is highly skilled in transforming 'the girl next door' into the real “Pretty Woman”

But it was for his haunting and sometimes chilling work of abandoned mental asylums which really caught the attention of the British Institute of Professional Photographery. His images of these empty, emotionally charged spaces, have now been published in an amazing on-line book entitled ‘manicomio’ which formed a major part of his recent final Master's project

Hamish explained: “As I intended to develop my professional photography business I thought it sensible and professionally acceptable to apply for a membership of a professional body. I was totally taken aback by their reaction to my work.”

The BIPP took one look at Hamish's work and decided that his photography skills merited a much higher level of membership. He was subsequently invited to submit a portfolio of work to be considered for a Fellowship. Stunned by his originality and creativity, last week, The BIPP awarded Hamish its prestigious 'Peter Grugeon award for the Institute's best Fellowship panel of the year.

So following this string of recent accolades, what's next for this rising star of the British photographic scene? Well, for starters, this month one of his images from a recent fashion shoot graces the front page of Edinburgh's “i-on magazine”. His passion for fashion work continues to develop, and now he intends to formulate a new body of work.

Furthering his study of redundant asylums in Europe will be the next  project on Hamish’s agenda. Through research and his network of like - minded informants, Hamish has located 2 unspoilt locations where the graffiti artists have yet to tread! He is not telling where these locations are sited because he needs to gather as much visual information as he can record before the buildings are stripped of their traces of human existence and any features of architectural interest.

At the same locations, Hamish also intends to do some of his wonderful “Trash the Dress” and “Cherish the Dress” fashion shoots for those clients who wish to re-use their beautiful wedding dress in a realistic and highly exciting  high fashion experience.

Hamish states, “There are too few redundant buildings accessible to we photographers. More often than not, vandals have pillaged these spaces, ripping out every possible item which may or may not have a value. I am interested in the natural decay which grows with time but it is hard to find places which remain as they were when they were deserted or evacuated. I aim to capture the atmosphere and the sense of the place. This I do through my use of light, texture, colour and form. Placing a human form into such spaces will add a completely different twist and sharing this experience with a client will be a fantastic opportunity to get some very stimulating and classy imagery.”