Gloucestershire photographer Aleks Gjika is releasing a book that will show off Gloucestershire in all its glory.

Aleks, a highly skilled landscape, nature and portrait photographer, has travelled all over the county taking photos of Gloucestershire’s famous buildings as well as the countryside, from the rugged landscape of the Forest of Dean through to the picture-perfect Cotswold villages. “I loved getting out and discovering places of Gloucestershire I had never visited before,” Aleks said. “Gloucestershire is such a diverse county, there’s such a change in landscapes that I loved capturing. The book contains photographs of famous buildings, countryside landscapes and popular views. I’ve learned a lot about Gloucestershire and have visited places I would have never have travelled to were it not for this book,” he added.

Since moving to Gloucester from rural Albania Aleks’ skill with a camera has taken him to every corner of the county. His new book, ‘Gloucestershire in Photographs’, is a detailed collection of stunning photographs that capture the true essence of this corner of England. Aleks continued: “I grew up in the hills of Albania, so I really love getting out and taking shots of the wonderful countryside here in Gloucestershire.

“Gloucestershire is a naturally beautiful place. The rivers, the hills and the open fields are wonderful places to capture and then you’ve got buildings like Gloucester Cathedral that are a just a total joy to photograph.

“Photography was something I’ve always enjoyed doing but I never thought I’d make a career of. I joined Cheltenham Camera Club and learned a lot. People would tell me they liked my pictures which gave me a lot of confidence.

“Photography is like every other job, the more you do it the more skilled you become. It’s a multifaceted job, it’s not just pressing a button on the camera, that’s just the first step. Understanding light is a big part of becoming a successful photographer and of course you have to be very skilled when it comes to editing. It’s not the most glamorous job either, getting up at 4am to travel to a forest when it is freezing cold requires a lot of dedication!”

With 126 photographs in the book Aleks says it’s hard to name a favourite, although he does have a fondness for the quieter locations in Gloucestershire. He added: “Some of my favourite photos are of the quaint Cotswold villages. I love the colours of the stone walls and the houses.

“I love the countryside and some of my favourite photographs in the book are the ones that show the change in landscape as time passes. I love how a forest floor changes from being covered in snowdrops in late winter to bluebells and daffodils in spring, it’s an incredible sight.”

Gloucestershire in photographs is available to purchase from 15th September at:

https://www.amberley-books.com/gloucestershire-in-photographs.html