Brian and I have enjoyed sharing photography and rich dialogue over several years. We met when Brian commissioned me to do a piece of group facilitation work and, since then, he has gone on to form his own rapidly growing company, Consilient Consulting. Brian first appeared on Photo-dialogue here when he nearly jabbed holes through his slightly unwelcome picture as we discussed it over a coffee.

Coaching conversations are usually cloaked in a shroud of confidentiality but here is a Photo-Dialogue first: I am publishing this coaching portrait of Brian before he has actually seen it himself....  Like I said; brave man.

We shot images as we walked through Padley Gorge in Derbyshire; Brian clambering among the oak and birch trees as he began to talk through and viscerally experiment with his sense of risk. Fast expanding businesses demand a lot from owners, employees and associates. Knowing where to draw the line is critical. 

In my role as sounding board and image maker I began to understand the transition that Brian has undergone in the last year. The struggle and embattlement of our previous picture is now replaced by a relaxed sense of clarity and clear focus.  

As we walked back to the car, Brian began to tell me about a project that Consilient is about to start; a typically tricky piece of work in safeguarding 'at risk' children. After sliding across slippery rocks and trees this seemed like a whole different order of risk; when children's services take a fall we read about it in the national press.  

I asked Brian why on earth he would take on such a crazily difficult consulting task...

His response was assured; "Because it's difficult...."