The mention of Olan Mills got me to reflect on the evolution of photography, particularly in the business and commercial realms. In the 70s, studio photography like Olan Mills's was a prevalent style, characterized by formal poses, staged backgrounds, and a certain classic aesthetic. Fast forward to today, and the landscape of photography has undergone a remarkable transformation.

Our social media landscape has diversified and expanded to unimaginable expectations, bringing with it both the good & the undesirable side of human nature. The ability to reshape, modify, & inform the way we think & see our lives has moved or altered many of the perspectives we have on life, especially for those over a certain age.

We make first impressions on others within seconds.

Who knows where the internet & Ai and all it's platforms will lead us in the next ten years?

HAVE YOU GOT A FAG, 'ME MAN!

Halfway through my photo shoot with the talented Sinead O’Connor in London some years back; “I’m grasping for a fag, have you got any my man”.

I didn’t smoke back then, and a little panicked I asked around the studio, including her PR agent at the time if there were any spare cigs for Sinead.

Luckily my brilliant assistant on the day, Nick, offered to run down, we were in a photo studio near London Bridge, and he bought her a pack of Marlboro Lights.

I recently wrote a post on Linkedin about positive mindset messages and how important this is for everyone. Well, I was delighted to receive some news that one of my images from a personal project had received a highly commended award at The Photography Foundation Social Documentary Awards

INSOMNIA

I'm currently working on a new photographic project exploring the lived experiences of individuals who have Insomnia. The work aims to tell people's individual stories, explore the subject's different nature, and pose questions about how the modern world may be contributing to the rise in sleeplessness.

I'm actively looking for new participants to be involved in the photographic and short interview process. So, are you, yourself, experiencing bouts of Insomnia? Do you find the idea of this project of interest, or would you know of others close to you with similar sleepness issues? I would love to hear from you.

Please drop me a line or DM my Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/johnfergusonphotos

So what's it all about then? Mudlarking?! This pastime is becoming ever more popular across the globe. "I'm sure the original mudlarks would look with some disbelief and disdain at the throngs of people who head down to the foreshore of the River Thames. Small groups and individuals venturing down into the mud at low tide to wade around in search for lost and discarded objects", says Nicola. 

So what happens when you try to put together a one-day pop-up creative portrait studio in your local high street?

I recently had the good fortune to collaborate with the local Chip Community Hub, a creative enterprise based in Ipswich.

My Joy with collaborating with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

It’s been over ten years now that I’ve been working alongside the Trust producing “people” images for all their websites, booklets, brochures, posters, magazines and much more. I’ve learnt so much from time spent with some really amazing people working on behalf of the Trust.

Now here’s a question. When was the last time you visited a museum or an art gallery?

I only ask because on the weekend, my wife and I, plus two friends had the loveliest of days, finishing off the day with a meal in a great restaurant in central London.

Being a photographer I am a regular gallery visitor, I’m always looking for and visiting photo exhibitions, plus we visit one or two of our favourite museums in London during the year, especially when one of our favourite artist's works are on show.

Visual storytelling is one of the most potent ways to convey an organisation's message. Just a single image can help quickly communicate your charity's message to its audience.

John Ferguson's Commercial Fashion Shoot with MH.Mena for Digital 360 Mobi Marketing design Agency

I spent three years travelling up and down the UK in search of individuals willing to talk and more importantly for me, open to having their photograph taken for my project. I met some wonderful people, all with their own sometimes harrowing stories of prejudice, bullying and worst. Sometimes, real stories are right under our noses, but seldom do they get and publicity or recognition about the plight of people living with Albinism.

The cover image for the newly conceived Black Equity Organisation’s website. These lifestyle images where taken in Ipswich Suffolk. The Aspiring Black Suffolk group members posing for their photographs.

95 babies Charity Photo -Shoot.

Read my little tale about one of the more unusual photo-shoots I’ve ever been commissioned to produce over the years.

Part of a photo commission from the Suffolk Community Foundation was for me was to visit a collection of towns in the county of Suffolk and to highlight some of the groups and associations with which they funded. One of these towns was Lowestoft which until only a few years ago had a large thriving local fishing and fish processing industry, but has since fallen on hard times as a result of losing this vital economic income. Waveney in Lowestoft has become one of the most deprived wards in the county and ranking 173rd most deprived in England. Poverty in Suffolk, is nothing new, but over the last decade or so, but the raise in more people living on the bread line as increase.