A PHOTOGRAPHER who specialises in horror shoots is hoping create a “thriving creative community” to support new photographers.

Self-taught Clinton Lofthouse, from Queensbury, who is fast building an international fan base for his dark art work has just struck a sponsorship deal with OPUS Photografix in Harris Street.

In return for a studio base there he will be hosting special workshop and networking nights.

He said: “What me and OPUS want to create is a hub not just for photographers but other creatives, artists, graphic designers - although I will be focusing on the photographers.

“We will be hosting networking evenings for creatives new and old, to come together and meet up, drink, chat and to try build stronger connections within the Bradford area and forge new relationships.

“Leeds has a thriving creative community and we want Bradford to have something similar.”

He said a specific area to focus on would be amateur photographers and camera clubs, and a possible link-up with Bradford College.

Away from Bradford, Mr Lofthouse has just been signed up by Netherlands-based agency Draumlist promoting world renowned photographers and retouch artists.

He has also had work appear in publications worldwide including Advanced Photoshop magazine where he was featured as one of a panel of experts giving out tips.

“I have also worked with some big models. International alternative Model Shelly D’inferno came to my house in Queensbury to do a photo-shoot and the images are going to be in a number of magazines, one of which has a 6.2 million readers,” he said.

Two years ago Mr Lofthouse, 33, appeared in the Telegraph & Argus saying he would not be giving up his day job in a warehouse despite American magazines clamouring to use his work, because he needed to pay the bills.

He has always been a big fan of horror films and admits it was his his infatuation with Freddy Krueger from Nightmare in Elm Street that got him hooked on horror art at the start.

He is completely self-taught and four years ago started out by taking pictures of household objects to experiment with photo techniques and Photoshop. He then progressed to landscapes around his home city, seeking out the district’s abandoned buildings.

Inspired by other horror photography he had found on the internet, he had a go at it himself and was stunned when he later found one of his own photographs on an American website.