“Sometimes you can plan a shoot, other times it's spur of the moment”

This week, Terry Gregory shares some of his favourite photographs.

Terry has won countless awards in Cheshire and the north west for his photography, which has been a hobby since the age of 10.

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Guardian Camera Club member Terry Gregory

When and why did you take up photography?

I first became interested as a young boy as my grandfather was a founder member of Leigh Camera Club back in the 1920s and encouraged me to take up photography when I was about 10 years old, around 1958. I won my first photo prize at my secondary modern school - a shot of Snowdonia from Anglesey. Last month, I won two first prizes in the very prestigious Weaverham Village Show photography competition. It impressed the grandchildren!

What do you love about taking pictures?

It is about capturing a moment in time which may never happen again. Sometimes you can plan a shoot - a morning sunrise or sunset - but other times it is a spur of the moment "point and shoot", particularly with birds, and hope for the best. I also find that getting out and about is good for my health and it makes me walk distances that I don't notice because I am engrossed in seeking out the perfect shot.

Early morning on the Trent Mersey Canal near Acton Bridge

READ MORE:

“Photography is a special moment between me and my creative mind”

Where is your favourite place to take pictures and why?

I think it would be a difficult choice between Burton Mere RSPB wetlands on the Wirral and Norfolk Wildlife Centre at Cley in north Norfolk. Further afield, it would be the city of Vilnius in Lithuania.

Great crested grebes and their courtship dance at Marbury Mere

What is your favourite subject matter and why?

My real love is bird photography but I am also interested in landscapes and have spent a considerable amount of time exploring Cheshire since moving here six years ago. Industrial archaeology is my other real love, particularly old steam trains, cotton mills and engineering works.

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Behind The Lens: ‘I love how nature makes photography easy’

Royal Scotsman train (Lakeland Express) entering Frodsham Station

What do you enjoy about being part of our Camera Club on Facebook?

It’s nice to share photographs and also learn from others who post quite regularly, picking up tips about different subjects to photograph, technical aspects about composition and framing.

If you could photograph anyone/any place/anything, who/what would it be?

Without any doubt it would be Šv. Stanislovo ir Šv. Vladislovo arkikatedra bazilika in Vilnius, Lithuania, often called The White Cathedral because of its stunning beauty. It‘s a building I have photographed every month of the year except July, during my working visits between 2006-2016 whilst working at Vilnius University.

The view down Bridgewater Canal