PETER Masters is one of a rare breed.

The 47-year-old owns a popular tattoo studio in the centre of Hereford but readily admits he cannot draw with the body art needle.

He is also a keen photographer who is opening a new tattoo enterprise – in Iraq.

The unlikely sequence of events came about recently when Mr Masters took a trip to the war-torn Middle Eastern country to photograph life on the frontline.

He is fresh from finishing a degree in photography at Hereford College of Arts and says he is looking forward to being involved with the new venture.

“There’s Americans, British and Kurdish people out there and I think there’s demand for the studio,” he said.

“Hopefully it will open next month. We’re just waiting for licences from the Iraqi government.”

His new venture will be in Erbil, the largest city of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, which boasts a population of about 1.5 million and, according to Mr Masters, is a city of contrasts.

“Half of it is like Dubai, but there is half that I felt a lot of empathy with,” he said.

“There are refugees there who have been displaced by Isis. Right at the heart of it are people in tents, in the snow.

“Because of the contacts I had – an ex-Regiment man – I was able to get to the frontline, only about 200 metres from Isis territory.

“I got to spend a whole day with Kurds within a short distance of Isis.”

While there he was able to mix with those in the area, including women and children who had been displaced by the militant group. But despite being so close to danger, he says he had other things on his mind.

“I was more scared my photos would be blurry,” he said.

Mr Masters owns Skinzophrenic Tattoos on West Street , Hereford, although readily admits he can’t tattoo, instead giving youngsters the chance to prove themselves in the industry.

His studio is covered with photos he’s taken and says taking the pictures “feeds his adrenaline” for the hobby.

“I crave crazy pictures.

It’s just finding a platform now,” said Mr Masters, who lives in South Wye, Hereford, and will remain at Skinzophrenic Tattoos.

His work wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the degree in photography at Hereford College of Arts that he has just completed, something he regards as one of his greatest achievements.

“It’s the only qualification I’ve ever had,” he says.

“I didn’t leave school with anything.”

In 2009, Mr Masters made a similar journey to Afghanistan.

While over there he spent time with Dr Tom Little, an eye specialist from the United States who, not long after Mr Masters had left the country, was killed when his team were the victims of a massacre in the Badakhshan Province.

Mr Masters is inviting donations to help children who have been made homeless by the Iraq conflict.

Donations can be made via Skinzophrenic Tattoos’ Facebook page.