I am a printmaker, photographer and astronomer. I am interested not just in the wonder and inspiration engendered by looking into space but also the philosophical and cultural aspects of star lore and astronomy, along with the joining together of the often disparate disciplines of art and science.

Astronomy is often seen as a scientific pursuit. However, looking directly with one's eye at the Moon, the planets and deep-sky objects such as nebulae, star clusters and comets can be a deeply emotional experience. I have observed and photographed the Great Orion Nebula, for example, many times but nevertheless each time I feel a welling up of awe, dumb-struck by its majesty, on occasion to the point of tears. It is impossible not to come away without a changed perspective, a shakedown of priorities, a sense of one's proper place in the world and beyond.

Why do I make monochrome prints? I am not striving for realism. Instead I am aiming to conjure the visceral feeling of standing before the heavens, under a wide sky of jewelled treasures. For me the very best medium for this is photogravure which has its own way of embodying the depth and aliveness of the universe. An etched image lives in a way that other 2D media do not.

My astronomical subjects are photographed from my small observatory not far from the centre of Coventry in the UK Midlands.

The pinhole images are very different to the necessarily technical and carefully-executed astronomical images. The handmade cameras I use produce unexpected - and often beautifully surprising - events of light and perspective which frequently challenge any attempts at complete control.

My photographic work is held in collections worldwide, including that of the Royal Photographic Society.