John Swannell, world-renowned fashion, beauty and royal photographer, hosted a public lecture at The Royal Geographical Society on 7 June 2011 in order to raise funds for The National Autistic Society (NAS).
The lecture was a journey through John's photographic career, from his first days as an assistant at Vogue Studios through to his time working for publications such as Harpers & Queen, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times and Tatler. John will talk about his experiences of photographing some of the world's most well-known faces, how fashion has changed over the years, and the amazing places across the world John has visited throughout his career.
John hosted the event in aid of the NAS because his adult son, Charlie, has Asperger syndrome, a form of autism.
Charlie's teenage years were traumatic: he suffered several breakdowns and had to be withdrawn from education. My wife, Marianne, and I struggled to find a way forward as, although there is advice and help for parents of young children with autism, there is virtually no form of support for parents of young adults going through this very difficult stage in their development. Charlie is still trying to get his life back on track and he's not alone: there are around 10,000 adults with autism who have similar problems.
John Swannell