I'm very much a 'people' photographer; I love the challenge of meeting and photographing new people whether it's working for B2B's, charities, small start-up businesses or providing contemporary personal branding photography for individuals. I'm trying to tell stories through my images, summing up each person's character through thoughtful, illuminating, engaging and creative imagery. I'm listening to my clients, understanding their needs and then transferring their wishes visually, this as always been a strong point with my photography. With my background in photojournalism and documentary photography, this lends itself perfectly to this side of my work.
I've been fortunate in connecting with a legal mentoring firm whose commitment and objective is to increase diversity in the legal profession.
The company, 'Aspiring Solicitors' was founded by corporate solicitor Chris White, whose motivation is ensuring that the legal profession increases the diversity within it. He'd witnessed how elitist the business was and also how much discrimination existed within it. His hatred of discrimination and passion for equality of opportunities meant that the decision to sacrifice his legal career and commit his future to help others pursue theirs was straightforward. His company provides a platform for talented aspiring solicitors from a representative cross-section of society, those from low-income families, state school comprehensives, first-generation undergraduates and other underrepresented groups, providing a pathway into this sometimes tricky ascension within the corporate legal professions.
I really applaud Chris and his team for his commitment and passion for raising the subject of diversity in the legal profession. Having dipped my toe into a small part of this corporate world, one that seems and indeed feels so exclusive; it's great to know that these opportunities now exist for a section of our society that would have found it challenging to enter. For me, I feel that by exposing any seemingly 'closed' industries to a new cultural and diverse workforce, can only be beneficial to these commercial enterprises. Allowing diversity into the workforce allows for different ideas and concepts to be acknowledged and facilitated upon, which in turn allows for greater awareness and inclusion.
It's been heartening for me to meet, hear some of their stories and of course, photograph many of the bright young Aspiring Solicitors looking to forge their way into the corporate legal profession.
I was asked to provide a series of corporate headshots for each of their young members, producing a catalogue of pictures for their new brochures and marketing materials - highlighting their candidates and providing their network of supporting partners with an opportunity to view their members; all of whom are looking for vocational placements within the corporate profession. However, for me, I wanted to suggest something a little more contemporary, away from the usual and in my opinion boring static photographic headshots we usually see that represent the typical corporate images.
I proposed that I should produce a series of environmental portraits that illustrate the workplace and the corporate environment, taking in the architecture, the colour, sense and feel of the city around the companies offices. I'm pleased to say that they liked my idea and we have gone on to produce a large selection of photography which encompasses the vibe, uniqueness and bustle of the area.
I hope to continue working with Aspiring Solicitors; they're a perfect fit for me, and a company that I'm wholeheartedly at one with their ethos and conviction in bringing diversity to the law profession.
To see more of Aspiring Solicitors work check-out their website here. https://www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk
John Ferguson is a Visual storytelling photographer for commercial, corporate and B2B enterprises in the Southeast.
