Millions will have tuned in to watch breathtaking documentaries such as Life, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet and Ocean Giants but one man has experienced them all. Doug Allan is an award winning freelance wildlife and documentary film-maker who is currently touring the southern UK with his 'Life Behind The Lens' talk, and last night we were lucky enough to travel 290 miles to hear what he has to say (you'll have to excuse the iPhone picture).

I always enjoy good photography, but when someone such as Doug can recall fascinating stories of encounters and adventures (often with added humour) which backup those images, it's a captivating experience that had me hanging off his every word.

Throughout the evening, Doug conveyed just how much behind the scenes work takes place in order to produce a series such as Frozen Planet. The sheer scale of the operation is mind boggling and really makes you appreciate what these dedicated and extraordinary individuals goto for only minutes of television. Whilst I thoroughly enjoy photographing the natural world, the thought of plunging down a 10-15ft manmade shaft in the thick ice of Antarctica which can freeze over in only a matter of minutes seems a tad wild. Still, Doug has managed to clock up over 500 hours under the ice and goes to show why he's the best in the business.

We were lucky enough to purchase a copy of Doug's new book "A Wildlife Cameraman's Adventures On Ice" which he was only too happy to sign:

It was certainly worth the long drive and really opens your eyes to the world out there. As Doug said, we're keen to spend thousands upon thousands in researching alien life form in outer space, yet there are creatures under our seas which we don't fully understand. Doug currently has a number of stops left along his tour and if your interested in learning more, check out his website here.