A PHOTOGRAPHER who is building up a presence with global brands, just eight months after buying his first camera, is bringing travel photography closer to home by showcasing the best of Britain.

Jack Makin, from Kingsmead, turned his long-held interest in photography into a genuine career ambition when he invested in new kit, having previously explored the art using just his phone.

But now, less than a year on, he has been recognised by industry professionals at National Geographic, GoPro, and US clothing brand Hippy Tree to name but a few.

Having combined an interest in travel and photography, Jack – who works at Cheshire Police HQ in Winsford – has concentrated his efforts on celebrating the beauty of the world closer to home.

He said: “I have always enjoyed travelling and this goes hand in hand with it.

“There are lots of places in the UK that don’t get thought about in that way – lots of people don’t give it any thought and I have been trying to showcase it.

“I have been to Bali and places but, honestly, I’m more interested in what we have got here on our doorstep.

“There are some places that I have seen and thought ‘I would love to go and see it’, and I’ll take my camera to go and get a different perspective.

“I want to show people what we have got in the country and I would love to showcase the UK in an exhibition. I am doing it as a hobby at the moment but would love for it be a career.”

While still a hobby, Jack is kept busy by uploading daily photos to his Instagram feed, and distributing his work far and wide in a bid for exposure.

Not bad for someone who invested in a camera only last year.

“I got a 0 per cent credit card and jut went for it,” Jack recalls.

“It’s been a massive learning curve, that’s been the biggest thing. I have taught myself by reading up and watching YouTube videos, and once I got my head around it started developing my own style.

“I am still learning now and all the time – it takes a while to get your head around the technical side.

“You have got to think about the composition – I always thought it was just a case of seeing something and taking a picture, but there is so much more to it than that.

“Then there is editing, which I really enjoy. You can take a picture which looks nice but maybe doesn’t shout anything out to you, and you can bring it to life.”

Recently, his shot of a photographer examining his work atop a mountain range was praised by the producer behind the Nat Geo photographic community initiative, Your Shot.

Jack said: “My goal would be to work at Nat Geo – that’s the big dream.

“It was amazing to get that bit of recognition from something that high up in the industry where I want to work.

“It’s getting the exposure – that’s the toughest thing. I am putting my work out all over the place.

“There is no one to hold your hand and guide you through it, but I kind of like that. Photography is so subjective and that’s part of the challenge.”