An award-winning landscape photographer is highlighting the issues surrounding the new HS2 train route and the reported risks posed by UK fracking projects at the Bucks Open Studios, which comes to a close this weekend.

Mark King returns with images from last year which showed lasers following the path of the controversial HS2 line through the Chilterns. His images, he tells me, “have made the issue accessible, it explains what’s at stake and what’s happening, even though it’s done in a very subtle and sensitive way.”

His work is nothing near to propaganda, leaving people to make up their own minds, however he tells me: “There’s so many heart-breaking stories and it’s only a small area I’ve done. There is one lady who decided to sink her life savings into doing up the house so that when her husband passed away she could sell it and downsize and live off the remainder.

“The year after they announced HS2 and now she can’t sell, she can’t even afford to heat it because she’s got no money. She’s in this massive house, of course she can sell but she wouldn’t even get back the money she invested into it.”

There are new images alongside the ones he displayed this year, as well as photographs of lasers representing the devastating impact fracking could potentially have on the UK environment.

Fracking is the process of drilling deep down into the earth, before pumping extremely high-pressure water into the rock to release the gas or shale oil trapped inside, which according to reports can pose the risk of leaks, contamination and accidents.

“I’m totally anti-fracking. They approved the first license to frack in Yorkshire about two weeks ago and that will go ahead unless the public manage to appeal it which is unlikely to happen before it starts. It will be the first fracking taking place in the UK in five years.

“Five years ago there was an earthquake in Lancashire, they investigated and found that they were fracking in a remote place in Lancashire and that had caused the earthquake and so they halted the operations and put a temporary ban. It’s really serious, we’re at a defining moment in our lives.”

Earlier this year Mark travelled to North Yorkshire and Lancashire to show the lasers, for which he had to provide the Civil Aviation Authority with GPS coordinates and post codes, as well as gaining permission from nearby airports.

In Yorkshire the first major fracking project was approved two weeks ago, this comes just months after the government signed an agreement in Paris, COP 21, to combat climate change.

Mark concentrated on capturing famous and iconic landmarks in Yorkshire to illustrate the injustice of fracking in this beautiful and unspoilt part of the country. It is an area also dependant on underground aquifers for its drinking water therefore fracking poses a serious threat of contamination.

While in Lancashire, Mark documented potential fracking sites and past test pads that are currently awaiting approval by the council.

Bucks Open Studios final day is Sunday, June 26. More than 500 artists are showcasing their work in over 200 venues across Buckinghamshire.

Mark’s work can be seen at Twogether, Marlow Place, Station Road, Marlow, SL7 1NB. Details: bucksopenstudios.org.uk