Glenn Jowitt was born in 1955 in Upper Hutt, Wellington. He studied art and design at the Ilam School of Fine Arts in Christchurch, completing a Diploma of Graphic Design with Honours in Photography in 1975.

For his honours project he undertook a photographic series on the horse racing industry. With characteristic entrepreneurship, and at a time when the number of monographs by NZ photographers could be counted on the fingers of one hand, Glenn succeeded in having his student work published as Race Day by Collins Publishers The series of black and white images in this auction are part of this debut publication.

From 1978 he worked as a photographer at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery and travelled extensively, exhibiting and publishing his work.

Jowitt believed in "using the camera in a gentle way". He didn't want to intrude on his subjects, but humanely celebrate their culture and everyday lives. Jowitt went on to become Lecturer in Photography at the School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, Photographer/Designer at the Pacific Islanders Educational Resource Centre, Auckland, Head of Department for Photography at the Auckland Society of Arts Art School and tutor at the Auckland Technical Institute. Te Papa has a collection of 89 Glenn Jowitt prints.