THE South Wales Argus Camera Club has more than 4,400 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 of the club and want to be part of the our Behind the Lens feature go to www.southwalesargus.co.uk/behindthelens and fill out the easy to use Q&A.

Today we meet Blair Jones, 50, a computer security consultant.

South Wales Argus: What better place to be , Blair Jones on Goldcliff Lagoons sea wall.

Blair Jones on Goldcliff Lagoons sea wall

When and why did you take up photography?

I have always had an interest in wildlife and particularly birds. Fifteen years ago a photographer friend of mine invited me on a birdwatching trip to Skomer in Pembrokeshire and he let me use his DSLR camera to take pictures of puffins. It opened up a whole new world to me and ever since I fell in love with photography.

South Wales Argus: Goldlcliff Lagoons has become the home of a Glossy Ibis that has been nicknamed "Flossy". Normally this bird should be in the likes of sunny Spain.

Goldlcliff Lagoons has become the home of a Glossy Ibis that has been nicknamed "Flossy". Normally this bird should be in the likes of sunny Spain

Why do you love taking pictures?

I like to put my pictures in a context so they often feature in my wildlife and photography blog that I set up five years ago - thewildlifeoculus.com. Four years ago I lost the best part of sight in my left eye due to a sudden illness. It was the eye that I used for photography and at that time caused me a considerable amount of worry and stress. It impacted my photography a lot, making using my cameras a challenge and I had to learn to adapt to use my right eye for focussing instead. It also caused me to start writing my blog and, excuse the pun, "made me focus" more on the positives and that I was lucky I was not affected in both eyes.

Where is your favourite place to take pictures and why?

My favourite place to take photographs is Goldcliff Lagoons, part of the Newport Wetlands Reserve. Goldcliff Lagoons is a wonderful reserve which has an incredible amount of wildlife including rare species such as Avocets, Black Tailed Godwits, Marsh Harriers, Peregrines and even two Glossy Ibis. I am very passionate about the reserve. It has helped me through difficult, stressful times and beyond the birds it also has a wonderful community of enthusiastic and friendly birders and photographers. I always walk out of the reserve in a better mood than I walked in. The place is wonderful.

South Wales Argus: Spring time brings large flocks of Black-Tailed Godwits and Knots that are on their way to breeding grounds in the Northern Arctic and Scandinavia.

Spring time brings large flocks of Black-Tailed Godwits and Knots that are on their way to breeding grounds in the Northern Arctic and Scandinavia

What equipment do you use?

I use a Nikon D500 DSLR camera with a Sigma 150-600 mm for the majority of my wildlife pictures. For landscapes I used a Nikon Z6 Mirrorless camera with a Nikon 24-70 mm lens.

What is the favourite picture you have taken and why?

My favourite species of birds are waders. We are very fortunate to have several species of waders that use Goldcliff Lagoons as a pitstop to refuel during their spring migrations. They feed on invertebrates that live in the lagoons and rest before flying to faraway places in the Arctic Circle such as Iceland and northern Scandinavia. Species such as Black-tailed Godwits and Knots arrive in early spring and and form large flocks. I love to take pictures of birds in flight and particular when they all gather in a flock and put on a display of amazing synchronised aerobatics.

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Why did you join the SWACC?

I think SWACC is a lovely friendly community and I enjoy seeing the amazing pictures people have taken across a wide range of photographic styles and subjects. It's a great way of discovering what a wonderful place we live in and it is a group where anyone can post pictures whatever their level of ability and equipment they have.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into photography?

Anyone can take a good photograph and you don't need to spend huge amounts of money on expensive cameras. It is often more about being in the right place and the right time rather than how good the camera is. Get out there and enjoy the moment and always think about the story behind the picture.

South Wales Argus: This is a picture of a Short-Eared Owl at Goldcliff Lagoons one autumn evening.

This is a picture of a Short-Eared Owl at Goldcliff Lagoons one autumn evening.

If you could photograph anyone or any place who/what would it be and why?

I would love to travel to Iceland in the early summer to watch Black Tailed Godwits at their breeding ground.

South Wales Argus: the sun sets at Goldcliff Lagoons and a flock of Curlews pass over it

The sun sets at Goldcliff Lagoons and a flock of Curlews pass over it

Anything else you think we should know eg any awards, exhibitions, charity creations etc

I write passionately about Goldcliff Lagoons, the Gwent Levels and local wildlife in my blog - www.the wildlifeoculus.com. I am an active committee member of the Gwent Ornithological Society and I would encourage anyone who has an interest in birds and wildlife that would like to meet like-minded people to consider joining the society.