TWO Lancashire Telegraph photographers are exhibiting their work at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery from September 8 to December 1.

Jade Doherty, 27, and Helen Brown, 34, are good friends outside work and their shared passion for images not only pays their wages but also inspires them to experience wide aspects of life throughout the world.

They are exhibiting 30 pieces of work each at the art gallery, each set made up from the women's favourites taken over a five year period of travelling the globe and working around the UK.

The event is called Culture Shot - Exposure of a Diverse World, diversity something that the women hope to demonstrate with the variety of photographs chosen.

Jade, originally from Hertfordshire, has picked photographs mainly taken in India, Thailand, South America, Sheffield and Manchester. Helen, originally from Liverpool but now living in Pendle, has chosen images of her travels to Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Japan, Borneo and Libya. The photographs show a wide array of scenes, animals, buildings and people.

Jade said: "My love of photography came while I was travelling in South America, but unfortunately I only had a point and shoot camera."

Helen's life-long love of photography saw her swap careers from primary school teaching to what she really wanted to do. She said: "I've worked on the Telegraph for six years after leaving my job as a primary school teacher and doing a photography course at night and in my spare time.

"My first camera, which I acquired in 1981, was a serious piece of equipment known as The Button - a Poloraid instamatic. In those days I used to spend my pocket money on photography books."

Culture Shot - Exposure of a Diverse World launches at 10.30am on Saturday, September 8 and finishes on December 1. Entrance to the exhibition is free, and prints are available to buy.