IT has been a case of nature through a lens for keen photographer Josh Exell.

The 22-year-old, of Rockwell Green, Wellington, has just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip up the highest mountain in North Africa, and he has captured it on some rare camera equipment.

Josh, who battled the elements with friend Greg Woodward to climb 4,167m up Jebel Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains, said: “We followed the same route as the first recorded group to climb the mountain in 1923.

“We documented the trip on cameras from the 1920s, including Box Brownie's medium and large format cameras.

“Even 90 years on from the first climb we suffered perilous conditions of altitude, 50mph winds and well below freezing conditions with the added difficulty of carrying large amounts of heavy vintage equipment and film.”

The pair are developing the film and creating a book about their journey.

For more information and photos from Josh and Greg's trip, find this story at somersetcountygazette.co.uk