With us almost at the end of the year, welcome to the last of my articles reflecting on my 30 years as a photographer and in particular my newspaper career.

This time we shall focus on what’s known as ‘hard news‘. As a press photographer on local papers I didn’t sent out on many assignments (despite the common misconception) relating to road accidents, fires and crimes, but here’s one or two ‘highlights’….

A barn fire in Ayrshire in the late 1980s turned a quiet rural spot into an inferno and I managed to make quite an atmospheric shot.

Photographing a fire was all about your vantage point and in this very safety conscious environment we live in, a keen snapper was often kept well away. My biggest fire story was a major chemical factory fire on an industrial estate in Lancaster in 2004, which made front page news locally.

Approach to the fire and I wanted a better shot…

Closer to the action.

Striking and evocative, this image reminded me of the dreadful New York 9/11 disaster. My photo made it onto the  front page of the Lancaster Guardian.

Front page photo for me!

Road accidents were an unpleasant but sometimes necessary part of the job. In this nasty coach crash on the M6 (fortunately no fatalities), I got a great view from the hard shoulder… and then got a police caution for walking on a motorway, albeit a closed one!

The occupants of this glider which came down near Chipping were less fortunate. A chilling reminder of the terrible helicopter crash last week in Glasgow.

Finally and a contrast in subject matter we go right back to the mid 80s, when the then controversial PM Margaret Thatcher made a visit to the troubled Ayrshire coalfield. Myself and young reporter faced crossing an angry miners picket line for this photo call; an unforgettable experience!

Maggie Thatcher gets a grilling from the media.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my nostalgic reflections.

Hear more ‘stories behind the pictures’ with my latest talk at MORECAMBE LIBRARY THIS FRIDAY (6th December) at 2pm.

More Festive ‘Photographer’s Ramblings’ coming soon!…