THE Northern Camera Club has more than 2,000 members and we regularly feature their pictures both in paper and online.

But we thought it would be good to find out more about the people who make up the club. If you are a member and want to be part of the our Behind the Lens feature, email sarah.caldecott@nne.co.uk

This week we meet Chris Morse, right, who is originally from a tiny village in South Wales and moved to County Durham in 2013, living in Barnard Castle.

Who or what inspired you to take up photography?

I met one of the world’s top 100 photographers in 1987 (unfortunately, I can’t remember his name) when I was in art college in Newport. He liked my photos. It’s amazing what some encouragement can do.

What was your first camera?

My first proper camera was a 35mm Petri. A rebranded Cosina, I believe. A beautiful little camera. I set up a darkroom in my bedroom and started developing and printing my pictures.

Is there anything in particular you enjoy photographing most, and why?

My great love is landscape photography and I really try to show the magical quality of where I am and what I’m seeing. I use a D7200 and also a converted Infra Red D7100. I’ve loved Infra Red photography ever since art college, and the photos I’ve supplied are all IR (except my mugshot). My other love is taking photos at the local rugby games, which takes a different set of skills completely.

Of all the photos you’ve taken, which has been your favourite, and why?

The photo of Lartington Signal Box is a favourite of mine, it encapsulates everything I’m about. Somewhere that when I saw it was a “wow” moment, and the IR managed to show a magical quality, somewhere real, but also part fantasy.

What’s your go-to kit at the moment?

I spend more and more time with my IR D7100 that has an 18-55 kit lens attached, it was the lens that was calibrated to the camera at conversion.

I try to get out with the colour D7200 as well to stop me going rusty. I also bought a drone last year and I’m still getting to grips with that and I use my LG V20 phone with the Open Camera App, which, on bracketed mode, I find can give excellent results.

Do you spend much time in post-production and what software do you use?

I believe that the computer is the modern dark room. My usual route is RAW to Photoshop. Then tweaked with NIK plug ins and also recently, Topaz Studio 2.

Do you have any advice for budding photographers?

Get involved with your local sports teams. You can learn a massive amount from this and they will probably bite your hand off for showing interest. Find a friend, a club member, a You Tuber, who inspires you to keep going and get out to take photos. I like a Vlogger called Henry Turner who inspires me.