Welcome to the Northern Echo photography blog.

I'm Doug Jackson, senior press photographer and your guide through the beguiling and often confusing world of photography.

My career started back in 2002 working for Yorkshire Regional Newspapers and I joined the Northern Echo in 2007.

Over the past couple of years I have developed my own successful freelance business, although I continue to work for the Northern Echo on a part-time basis.

I believe press photography is one of the most multidisciplinary areas of the photography industry. It encompasses sport, breaking news, community news, landscape, features and portrait photography.

It is a daily challenge to take what could be a rather routine story and create a great picture for the paper or website.

Not only do all press photographers have to be technically consistent, but there is a level of creativity expected too.

I'm not saying that all the photography staff at the Echo swan around all day, lost in bohemian reverie. The fact is as press photographers we spend most of the time driving.

The Northern Echo is a big patch and travelling five hundred miles a week is pretty typical.

So I'd ask you to put your seat belt on and get comfy. It maybe quite a long day......