A PHOTOGRAPHER who trained with the Reporter and recently picked up 30 awards has told how he first got started in the industry.

Stuart Wood from Old Kilpatrick bought his first camera “that weighed a tonne” when he was only 12-years-old.

When he left school aged 17 he took up a training scheme with the Reporter, and its sister titles the Clydebank Post and the Helensburgh Advertiser, carrying out administration work.

Stuart explained: “It was an admin role, but I constantly bugged the photo department for work, advice and any jobs that they wanted doing.

“When Princess Anne came to visit it was ‘all hands-on deck’ and I got a chance to go out and shoot on behalf of the paper.

“I was handed a couple of rolls of film and told to go to the Helensburgh riding school. I was then fortunate enough to get my shot chosen by the editor to go on the front page against all the professionals - and that’s what really got me started.”

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Stuart then went on to work for a local wedding photographer where he learned the traditional ways of photography, and after three years of training he was given his first wedding to shoot.

In 2007, Stuart set up his Old Kilpatrick based business, 1500 Photography, and has been adding awards to his collection ever since.

At the recent Scottish Master Photography Association awards, Stuart picked up 30 prizes - including the winner of the Best Complete Wedding category for the third time in his career.

Stuart said: “Winning this is really important to me because weddings is what I do. You can take a good picture here and there, but to put forward a panel-full and be crowned the winner is a massive vote of confidence.

“It demonstrates that you can produce 10 fantastic images and display them in a pleasing fashion. The judges for this competition are other top professional photographers, which is why I treasure winning this gong more than any other.

“Weddings are my main focus but I do anything which is reflected in the awards I’ve won.”

For more information visit 1500photography.co.uk.

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