Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Watson studied graphic design and film, and credits his success as a photographer to this broad visual education. His photographic career began with his move to Los Angeles in 1970, when he started shooting mostly for fashion magazines and later broadened his work to include celebrity portraiture, beauty, still life, and fine art. Since then, Watson has taken some of the most iconic photographs of our time, and his exquisite handmade prints have been displayed in galleries and museums around the world. From Andy Warhol to Kate Moss to Hollywood royalty, Watson’s striking photographs have graced more than one hundred covers of Vogue worldwide and elite publications such as TIME magazine, Rolling Stone, and Harper’s Bazaar.
“I’ve always been driven by the pursuit of excellence in photography,” said Watson, “but also by how I can improve every time I pick up the camera. How can I make that next shot more powerful, more interesting, more beautiful, and, most importantly, more memorable? For a younger generation of artists and photographers, that would be my most important advice: Never be fully satisfied with what you’ve accomplished. Always strive to improve and never lose your curiosity. Hopefully, these prints of some of my fashion photography will provide inspiration for them and pique their curiosity as they begin their own careers.”