A HUSBAND and wife photography team have snapped up their first national award for Child Portrait of the Year.

Grahame and Allison Smith, of GWS Photography, have won a string of awards and received the latest prize at the Master Photographers’ Association Awards.

The business, based at East Links Family Park, near Dunbar, has been running for nearly a decade but Grahame said the last four years had been pivotal in its growing success and recognition.

“We made a strategic decision to learn, to improve the studio and really make sure every client we meet has the best time and receives the best photography from us,” he said.

“We spend around two weeks every year training with the best photographers in the world, including six days a year with Damian McGillicuddy.

“Every day we strive to shoot better pictures with every session.”

In 2018, GWS Photography walked away from the Master Photographers’ Association Awards with seven merit awards and were feeling optimistic when they found out that six of their photos had made it to the finals this time.

As the category ‘Child Portrait of the Year’ was announced, Grahame was delighted to be named the winner.

His winning portrait was an image of an excited 10-year-old boy named Ethan, from Tranent.

Grahame said: “We really like to give kids as long as they need to settle in our studio to get good, fun portraits but Ethan was like an old friend from the off.

“During his portrait, I gave him a snare drum to play with and he really can bash out a beat. He is a lovely, fun lad – full of energy and a brilliant drummer.”

By the end of the evening, GWS Photography left with a further two International Finalist Awards for a dog and a cat portrait.