Students at Lake Shore are known for their special talents, whether it be swimming, cheerleading, or making art, you name it. However, one Shorian holds a different talent: modeling. 

One of Lake Shore’s very own, Tariq Ferguson Jr., better known as TJ, began modeling back in 2019. Aside from that, Ferguson is also a varsity football and basketball player for Lake Shore’s teams.

Ferguson explains that modeling was not something he ever intended on doing, but says, “My family just kept suggesting to my mother that I could be a model and one day she listened and just put me in an agency in Cleveland.”

His first official photoshoot ended up being in Cleveland, Ohio, where he is originally from. Ferguson says that the local Cleveland agency is popular for many as people will travel to shoot there because of the city’s distinctive background. 

To make his modeling debut, Ferguson landed a spot to model for Champs Sports, a popular American retail sports store, back in November of 2019. He recalls the process of the photoshoot and simply described it as “long.”

Ferguson continues to explain, “I was only on set for one day and it took 7-8 hours.” Luckily, he says he was able to get back some pictures that he was happy with. 

When Champs posted Ferguson for the first time on their Instagram (@champssports), he recollects, “I couldn’t stop smiling for two days.”

About a month after his Champs photoshoot, Ferguson was given the chance to be an extra for the movie, Queen and Slim, but unfortunately, had to decline due to the fact that he had finals the day he was supposed to be on set. 

Ferguson aspires to continue and develop his modeling career as he hopes that it will keep him financially stable for the time being.

You can check out the photos from Ferguson’s Champs photoshoot on their website or on their Instagram.