IT sounded like a slipshod photographer's quick-fire snap of a St Trinian's class after a raid on a rival dormitory.

You could almost smell the mischief. The girls' grins were as askew as their socks as they fidgeted and fiddled about - itching to break up from the pose forced upon them.

It was, in fact, a shot of the first intake of girls ever at an ancient public school. And it was a wonderful photograph. Hereford Cathedral Junior School's history-making lasses were captured by Ray Lloyd as the bright and breezy bunch of kids they truly were rather than po-faced pioneers.

It is one of many fine photographs Ray has taken in his 40 years with The Hereford Times.

The Lloyd years on this newspaper began in 1962 when he joined as a clerk aged just 15. He progressed to become chief photographer - and the completion of his four decades as an artist with the camera and ambassador known by thousands was recently feted by colleagues and management.

To be a successful newspaper photographer it helps to have a sharp mind as well as an astute eye.

Ray found that out early in his career when a senior journalist despatched the young whipper-snapper on what he imagined was a mission impossible - to 'buy some tomato mustard'.

Imagine the old hack's amazement when the 'errand boy' returned with the red delight as requested. It had been secretly and exclusively concocted by Ray's father, Fred Lloyd, head chef at the Green Dragon Hotel!

Some big guns in British politics were unable to force Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher into doing a U-turn, but Ray persuaded the 'Iron Lady' to do just that on a visit to Leominster.

During a heavy downpour rain had affected the flash mechanism on his camera and he lost the opportunity to take the picture he wanted of Mrs Thatcher with local politician Pamela Housden. So he turned on the charm and asked the Tory chief to go back and start again. Of course, she did!

Many stars of stage and screen grace Ray's portfolio, including a memorable shot of Sir Richard Attenborough taken during the making of 'Shadowlands' at Yat Rock. He took a picture of naturalist David Bellamy with the famous yew at Linton and informed the TV star about the amazing hollow tree at Much Marcle.

Bellamy was captivated so Ray led him to the picturesque churchyard - and bagged another exclusive.

Despite the age-old warning about working with children and animals, Ray has done so successfully on many occasions. There was the line-up of Cathedral School girls - and a similar parade of puppies, front paws resting on a stable door.

Helping Ray arrange such a scene were 'assistants' hidden behind the stable door, cupping the dogs' bottoms in their hands!

During his years with the HT Ray has seen the newspaper switch from broadsheet to tabloid and the equipment make a massive transition from plate camera of his early days to the digital he is armed with now.

But mastery of matters high-tech help not a jot when confronted by a malicious swan - as happened to our intrepid cameraman on the river by the Hope and Anchor at Ross-on-Wye.

Ray's face can be as black as thunder when his immaculate shoes are sullied by a traipse across a muddy field, but more often than not he returns to the office with a cracking picture, a smile - and a funny tale.

Take the rehearsal of a nativity play at Kimbolton when one of the stars forgot the all-important doll. Ray relates how a Joyce Grenfell-like voice issued the threat: "If you forget the baby Jesus you won't be the Virgin Mary tonight!"

Ray has taken shots of his beloved Herefordshire from many a balloon flight, has captured award-winning pictures from a stretcher with the Longtown Mountain Rescue Team and caught a charity parachute jumper in action by being strapped to the floor by the open aircraft door.

The latter event was a fund-raiser in aid of the cobalt unit at Cheltenham. Ray was later to receive cancer treatment at that very same unit - and was recently given the all-clear.

He is proud to have photographed every senior royal on visits to Herefordshire except the Queen Mother - "which is a sadness to me".

His is a familiar and welcome face all over Herefordshire and the borderlands and he is still as keen as mustard - tomato mustard, of course!