Interviewer: Jamie, you are a keen photographer yourself, how have you found using the new Nikon D3100?

Jamie: Yes, I have had a keen interest in photography since I was about 18. I created books of work but I never felt I was very good – if I owned the D3100 15 years ago I might be a photographer now rather than a chef!

What I love about digital photography is that you can instantly capture all those important moments and have them immediately available to look back at. The D3100 is ideal for this because you can get great quality images and videos using an affordable, new generation camera that is really easy to use, has lots of extra features and gives you high-definition movies. It’s a brilliant camera.

Interviewer: Have there been any features of the D3100 that have really impressed you?

Jamie: The Guide Mode is great: it took me 10 years to discover the photography techniques that this camera can teach you in a few hours with the step-by-step guide. It helps you understand everything from depth of field to how to use the camera’s lens, how fast the shutter speed should be to create the look you want and even how different light can affect your images.

To make it even easier, you can also see example pictures on-screen depending on which scenarios and settings you have selected so you know what you are likely to get before you even take the picture.

Interviewer: Cooking is all about being creative – do you find there is a natural connection between this and photography?

Jamie: Yes, without question. Recipe books are a big part of what I do and photography is an essential element of my books. It is also one of my favourite disciplines – cooking something and then using photography to tell the story of the recipe and show the taste of the food.

As with cooking, you can read all the manuals and do your research and create an amazing picture by the book but sometimes, if you just experiment and have fun with the camera, you can still create something special almost by accident. Some of my biggest mistakes in cooking have been my best recipes and I think it is exactly the same with photography.

Interviewer: What or who do you enjoy taking pictures of most?

Jamie: I have four kids, well three kids and one on the way, and I have really enjoyed taking pictures of them as they have grown up. For me, capturing the memories is the most precious thing. I do not just use a camera at home though, I always have one with me for work as well.

Interviewer: Tell us about how photography fits into your work.

Jamie: Because you can capture full HD movies with the D3100, and the level of quality is of such a high-standard, it does come in very useful during filming for the television series.

Also, if I go to a market and see interesting ingredients or I’m abroad and want to capture a cooking technique or a local dish, I can take a picture or video and show my team back at home. This can then provide inspiration for my recipes, books or the television series.

Interviewer: What do you think is the best thing about photography?

Jamie: I think the best thing about photography is letting other people have a go. For example, the other day I gave my eight year old daughter the camera to play with and she started taking pictures of things that were interesting to her. I flicked through the pictures and there was a picture of our pet bunny rabbit, a picture of the bunny’s food, a picture of my other daughter Daisy being naughty – it was like seeing life through my daughter’s eyes.

Interviewer: Any final words?

Jamie: Capturing beautiful moments in time is so important. Nothing is forever and everything changes constantly – capture as much as you can so you have lots to remember and share with friends and family for years to come.