Lawson started diving in 1965 and has been a Diving Instructor since 1978.
He also holds a Part IV Health & Safety Executive Professional Diving Qualification
Lawson has logged over 16,000 dives in all of the world’s oceans.
Former Education Officer for Scotland and member of the National Diving Council for Scotland, the Scottish Sub-Aqua Club
Former Chairman of Berwickshire Sub-Aqua Club and member of the Aquatic Group.Founder and Chairman of the first (and still the only) marine reserve in Scotland, the St. Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Nature Reserve (see links).
Founding member of the Marine Conservation Society (member No 6) and was Scottish Coordinator for the Marine Conservation Society, one of the team who worked on the Wildlife and Countryside Act to include the provision for statutory marine reserves in the UK, which was passed through the Houses of Parliament.
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society;
Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society;
Fellow of the British Institute of Professional Photographers.
Lawson made Photographic History by gaining Fellowships solely for underwater photography.
Freelance cameraman for the BBC. Worked on 'Bellamy's Bugle', 'Life on Earth', 'Sea Watch', 'This Island Britain' and recently appeared on ‘Coast’.
Lawson was featured in Channel 4's photography programme, Wild Shots. Included in Debrett’s ‘People of Today’ and is included in the Cambridge ‘Blue Book’.
Publishing
Lawson has worked with many different publishers as well as national and international magazines and this list is wide and varied and includes the following:
BBC Wildlife, New Scientist, National Trust & Scottish Wildlife Trust publications, Scottish Diver, Sport Diver, Sport Diving; Scuba World, Diver, Aquanaut, Tauchen, Photon, Rodale’s Scuba Diving; The Photographer, BJP, Photo Plus, TV Times, Natural World, Sunday Times; Geographical; Ocean Realm; Washington Times; Daily Express; Daily Record; RSPB; Scotsman; British Airways Highlife; English Nature; Scottish Heritage; Mondo Summerso; Plongee; Unterwasser; Immel; American Express; New Holland Publishers; European Library; Struik International; White Star Publishers; Lonely Planet; Underwater World; Tempus; Aquapress; Gulf Publishing; Time Life and Readers Digest
Awards
Winner of many photographic awards and medals in many of the world’s photographic competitions, too numerous to mention specifically over thirty years of work.
East of Scotland Development Board Award for Marine Conservation;
Joint Round Table and Rotary International Award for Marine Conservation;
Marine Conservation Society Award for outstanding achievements to Marine Conservation in the United Kingdom;
Lifetime Achievement Award with the Scottish Sup Aqua Club.
