It may seem a long way from bangers and mash to BritArt, but photographer Chris King has been there for the ride. By the age of 27, he had a flourishing commercial studio in London, and at one time employed five staff, taking shots for Fortnum and Mason, Tesco and other blue-chip companies.

He travelled the world for Radisson Hotels, taking glamorous poolside photos for glossy brochures but now his favourite place is opposite a letting agency off the Cowley Road in Oxford, where he has started a new venture called the Print Room, producing limited edition prints for artists.

Mr King, 61, came Oxford eight years ago because he was travelling here several times a week, providing illustrations for English language textbooks.

At first he rented a large studio off Garsington Road, but he had yet to appreciate how his trade would be affected by the technological revolution.

He said: "Everything changed when digital came in. It has reduced a studio bustling with people to a one-man show with a computer.

"Gone are the days of big studios, real film black-and-white and colour labs, the Hassleblad and the plate camera."

As he says, with Photoshop and Instagram, you can do it all yourself.

"General photographic work has been devalued. It seems anyone with a camera has become a photographer.

"But I have acquired years of knowledge of lighting and I know how things work with imagery. I can see how to solve people's problems because I have done so many different things, from photographing fashion when I was a kid to big still-life things."

He decided to downsize and feels he landed on his feet when he found space for a small studio in Magdalen Road two years ago, just as it was becoming an enclave for the 'real food' movement.

The trend started with the revamp of 'spit-and-sawdust' pub the Magdalen Arms into a restaurant that won a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide 2011.

Since then it has been joined by Oxfork, the Couscous Cafe and the Rusty Bicycle.

"My studio was too big and was becoming uneconomic. I was out all the time and no-one came to the studio, so I looked around for a small office where I could have a little gallery as well.

This little unit came up, with a front space for the gallery. It has become my office and workroom as well.

"This whole street has become really interesting and there are lots of artists around. There are the Magdalen Studios, the China Shop gallery in St Mary's Road and the Pegasus Theatre."

He already had work from a London art gallery, producing high-quality images of pieces of art, to be sold as limited edition prints, signed by the artist. He is cautious about naming the artists he works with, but says the prints sell for several thousand pounds.

He decided to invest in a printer that can produce work up to 44 inches wide using a range of paper, and with an anti-fade life of 200 years.

"I want to meet artists because I enjoy working with people like that. I want to help younger artists to realise printing is an art. There are lots of ways of incorporating special effects, for example."

He feels his life has entered a new phase where he can enjoy a wide variety of different work, with clients ranging from the MG car club to school proms, wedding and party organisers.

"I don't see myself having a big photographic studio again. I go out to lots of events and a lot of my work is local now. I'm quite well known in the street and it's a great community."

One of his strangest assignments was a re-enactment of 1976 movie The Eagle Has Landed, in which people dressed up as German paratroopers trying to kill Winston Churchill.

The original battle scene was filmed in the picturesque Thames-side village of Mapledurham, in South Oxfordshire, which was used for the re-enactment. He was so enthused by the assignment that he is now offering people the chance to feature in their own movie poster.

He added: "Although photographers are having to reinvent themselves and look for new channels for business, the key to success remains the same — you have to create a great image with an even better quality print."

He is planning to launch the Print Room with an exhibition, and is keen to hear from artists who want to take part.