Born in Horsham, Victoria in 1960. In his exploration of the dualistic concept of mascunity/feminiinity, McRae's portraits sometimes poke fun at our fashion-obsessed universe. He treats his subjects with dignity, yet there is always an underlying sense of sly emotion and deep intimacy. His ongoing  series of larger-than-life images of Matt Mitcham, the gold-medal Olympic diver, trace the development from an uncertain youngster to a media-savvy man of confidence, an icon of inner strength. McRae's sharply-focused vision also include portraits of singers, film-makers, top models, drag queens, sailors and his recent portraits of the late Margaret Olley.

John McRae is a Sydney-based photographer with a strong international reputation. His commercial work has seen him shoot for global brands such as Elle, Byford International and Jean-Luc Amsler. John’s exploration of fine art photography has seen his personal work exhibited in galleries throughout the nation, as well as internationally in the galleries of New York, Paris, Berlin and Rome. His work is regularly chosen for inclusion in some of Australia’s most prestigious awards, including the National Portrait Prize where he was voted the People Choice Winner in 2012 for his captivating portrait of the late Margaret Olley.

He was the winner of the coveted “Shoot the Chef” photographic competition in 2013.