CHRIS Hardaker grew up looking into the lens of his dad's camera.

"He did wedding photography, it was well before the digital age so quite old school," says Chris. "Dad was always looking for a photo opportunity, he was always getting me and my little brother to pose for photographs on day trips. I do the same with my daughter now, when we're out and about."

The click of the camera clearly had an impact on Chris. "I'd always had a bit of an interest in photography but didn't take it up until about 18 months ago. I got into Instagram and started playing around with different ways of taking pictures. My wife told me to get a camera, go out and take some snaps. I threw myself into it."

The result is a collection of stunning images of landscapes, both natural and urban, that look like they have been shot by a seasoned professional.

But for Chris, who lives off Bolton Road, Bradford, photography is still just a hobby. A trained welder, his day job - or rather night job - is maintaining vehicles for Morrisons supermarkets. "I work nights so I have quite a lot of spare time during the days, when my wife's at work and my daughter is at school. I just set off with my camera," he says.

Chris's photographs leap out, with a range of rich colours reflecting beautiful sunsets, rolling hills, gushing waterfalls and misty seascapes.

His image of Huddersfield's Redbrook Reservoir is so calm and still it looks like a sheet of glass beneath a swirling sky of clouds edged with golden sunlight. At Flamborough Head Chris has captured the sun rising and setting, adding a Mediterranean touch to Yorkshire's east coast beauty spot, while his striking image of the North Bay at Bridlington captures the early morning mist rolling in across the sea.

Gibson Mill at Hardcastle Crags looks like it's afloat in the mill pond, and Yeadon Tarn at sunrise is flooded in shades of deep pink. Some of Chris's images focus on the county's old viaducts, bridges and tunnels, including a shot of Knaresborough's viaduct swathed in a golden light sinking into the River Nidd. A picture called Menston Sunrise captures winter sunlight peeking through the branches of leafless trees, while a striking black and white image of Whitby Pier reflects the drama of the windswept coast. Shots of an old disused mill in Halifax reflect the bleak beauty found in a post-industrial sprawl, with huge beams, pillars and twisted steelwork captured on camera.

Other local sites include the Victorian clock tower at the former High Royds hospital site in Menston, and the top of Haworth's Main Street, with vibrant colours from the sunlit sky reflected in the well-worn cobbles. "I got there early, before the tourists arrived," says Chris, 33. "Photography involves a lot of getting up early; I'm sometimes up at 3.30am to travel somewhere I've got my eye on. When I get the right shot, it's well worth the wait.

"With a sunset, I'll get there an hour-and-a-half beforehand, so I can find the right place. I always plan ahead and check the weather a couple of days before."

Chris, who grew up in Bradford and went to Hollingwood Lane and Queensbury schools, uses ND (neutral density) filters on the lens to get the right colour and light. The filter controls the amount of light entering the lens, allowing the photographer to create atmospheric effects or the motion of a subject such as water.

"It allows small bits of light into the camera. It's like putting on sunglasses to look at the sun," says Chris. "The camera I use is a Canon 7D Mk II, with a 17-40mm-f4 wide-angle lens. When visiting locations, I carry two spare batteries for the camera, a wireless shutter release for capturing long-exposures, a Zomei 1000 ND Filter and a Manfrotto XPROB tripod.

"You can work with filters on Instragram. Digital technology has made it easier to experiment with photography. I’m always taking pictures of my daughter, Summer-Rose. She’s only six but she knows how to pose for the camera. It was just the same with my brother and I, when our dad used to snap us on holiday."

For Chris, the diversity of Yorkshire's landscape makes it hugely appealing to capture on camera.

"There's so much here - drive 20 miles from here and you're in Malham. You can reach the coast in an hour or so," he says. "There's the countryside, the seaside, urban landscapes. Yorkshire is full of little gems. I keep discovering places; just driving around, I'll see a site and remember it.

"I went to Goit Stock falls in Harden, it's right here on my doorstep and it's beautiful. Waterfalls look great all year round.

"My parents live on the east coast so I do a lot of photography over there. I love the coast and the Dales, but there are some great industrial areas in Yorkshire too, that I find interesting to work with."

Chris promotes his work through social media, and plans to exhibit some images this year.

"I went to a couple of photography seminars last year. I feel it's really taking off now. I think 2017 is going to be my year," he smiles.

* To see more of Chris's photography, visit chrishardaker.com