Damian Waters, 42, is North West director of lobby group the CBI. Outside work, he runs wildlife photography firm, Drumimages

IVE been taking pictures since I was a boy. I first got interested in photography when my uncle showed me a Polaroid camera an old-fashioned one where you had to peel apart the two pieces of paper to see the image. I was eight or nine, and it struck me as magical.

I moved on to cheap plastic cameras, and Ive had an interest ever since.

I was brought up on a council estate in Birkenhead, but I used to spend the summer holidays in North Wales. That really planted the seed, if youll pardon the pun, of wildlife photography.

Id go from a council estate which was all concrete and asphalt, to spending time in woods, catching fish in jars from the river it all sounds a bit Laurie Lee.

It highlighted the opportunities that existed for me to do different things.

You could enjoy yourself, explore things, and get muddy. And my interest in wildlife grew from there.

MY PHOTOGRAPHY grew into a business in around 2001, when digital came along.

In days gone by, I probably wouldnt have been able to run the business.

The only way I could have sold images to newspapers or magazines was to go from office to office with my portfolio.

But modern technology means Ive got an online gallery and can email pictures to agents. Its allowed me to get to people I just wouldnt have been able to get to if the technology hadnt existed.

I had an image in a national newspaper on Monday. I took it on Saturday, sent it to an agent that I work with. He showed it round some newspapers and one picked it up. I wouldnt have been able to do that in the past.

I primarily sell to publications newspapers, magazines and, increasingly, websites. I even received a request recently from an app developer, which was interesting how do you price something for an app?

But people do get in touch through the website and ask to buy prints, which I guess are to go on their dining room walls.

Its not just about pictures of animals. Im as interested in taking a picture of a flower or of waves crashing against a rock as I am of taking an image of a fox or a bird.

But, having said that, I do have a soft spot for brown hares. Ive spent a lot of time taking pictures of them, and Ive worked with the Hare Preservation Trust.

People have said Im a bit obsessed with brown hares.

I take pictures all over the place. I live in Wirral, so Im often down at Hoylake or Thurstaston taking pictures. But I take my camera with me wherever I go I was in Norway in summer, for instance.

Id like to be able to do more adventurous photography, but that doesnt fit the job very well.

If Im honest, some wildlife photography is quick and easy. But occasionally it does take longer. I remember once spending seven hours in a hide at the side of a river, getting wet, waiting for some Dippers. I spent all that time sitting there, and I didnt see any.

Patience is key to being a successful photographer. Youve got to be willing to sit still for long periods of time waiting for the right moment. Sometimes, things just happen in front of you, which is great. But quite often you have to sit around waiting for something to develop.

My job is a fairly high-octane, relatively high-profile role. It can be a 100mph activity.

Its nice to have that balance where, at weekends or in the evenings, or even early in the morning, I can go somewhere peaceful and enjoy some solitary time and hopefully get a fantastic image at the same time. Ive recently become a director of an organisation called the Wild Media Foundation, along with other wildlife photographers. Its all about using photography and videography to highlight environmental and ecological issues.

Im using my CBI experience to help them with business and marketing.

MY SON Martin, whos 11, has just sold his first image for publication. Hes really proud of that.

Like most children his age, he looks up to what his dad does.

I love it when I can get my kids involved in my photography, whether its building nest boxes or looking for dragonflies. My daughter, Rosie, who is nine, is in charge of finding butterflies and dragonflies.

AS TOLD to ALISTAIR HOUGHTON