In 1996 John became one of the founder members of the Lancashire Monochrome group. He was also accepted as a member of Gamma and had photographs published in various national photographic magazines.

John worked as an Aviation Technician. Based in England, he also worked in Germany and Italy.

John’s first photographs were taken with transparency film but after his marriage to Ann in 1962 he set up his own darkroom. His first tutor was the chief photographer at English Electric in Preston. In the 1970s John’s tutor for a Photography Certificate was Bert Gillham at the Storey Institute in Lancaster and in 1978 John studied A level Photography in Wigan with John Hannavy. Discussions were carried on in the pub after classes, and John produced First Class A level work.
John used a Voigtlander Rangefinder or Fuji 6×7 film camera. Later he was inspired by Colin New’s Holga images. With a Holga camera John  created images with depth and feeling.