Category: Aiding Others

From apps to specialists, technology and workshops, there are a myriad of ways visually impaired people are partaking in photography these days.

If you thought that photography as an art was cut off for people without sight, or that you need to see to take photographs, you might be surprised to know that this is actually not the case.

In India and other places, the idea of “blind photography” is new, but we can dream that the idea will not seem so strange or different in the future, though the physical and technical attachments and apparatuses that can help blind photographers are either in short supply or do not yet exist. Instead, blind photographers rely on their sensual experiences, the orchestra of sound of a crowded street, the moisture in the air, the light of the moon, the chill of the wind, the help of a passerby. With more training and new innovations, hopefully the process will become easier for visually impaired photographers and then we will begin to see more such artists producing more art and at a more refined level.

Even though blind photography and exhibitions showcasing such work is not widespread, these are not new phenomena and there have been core groups of enthusiasts and exhibitions for years now. As time progresses, the hope is that they will become more popularized and appreciated by the public. One visually impaired photographer who has been at this for some time is Sonia Sobertas. In fact, it was after she lost her vision that she got into photography. Sobertas lets her other senses guide her in taking her photographs. When photographing people, she asks them to describe themselves to her, then has her assistant make adjustments to her equipment and lighting—sometimes involving flashlights or Christmas lights—in reaction to their skin tones, hair color, and other physical traits. This is how she crafts her photographs.

When blind photographers work, they incorporate the sounds and textures of what they are photographing in addition to their natural need to explore in unconventional ways, molding their style and technique in novel manners. They even utilize text-to-braille converters to help them make technical adjustments to their equipment when necessary. Other visually challenged artists have spoken of using 3D printers that produce a way for them to physically feel their photographs and also of online educational institutions like www.blindwithcameraschool.org. Apps like TiltShift and Camerabag are accessible for visually impaired users and help them edit their photos. Thus, there are a number of available tools for blind photographers, and these tools are expected to grow in number and quality over time.

Particularly in India, photography by the blind is still quite out of the ordinary but that is not discouraging for its enthusiasts. Sightsavers, active in India, is one example of an NGO that fights for the blind; it works to prevent and treat blindness and also fights for the visually impaired on the social, political, and accessibility fronts. It has organized with 53.4 million people, undertaken 36.2 million eye treatments, and saw to 4.9 million eye surgeries. The group organized an exhibition in New Delhi featuring photography by and of the visually impaired at the British Council during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The exhibition was part of a larger campaign titled “The Blind View,” and was also assisted by the efforts of a like-minded organization called the Beyond Sight Foundation. At the New Delhi event, one keynote speaker, Padma Shri Rai—one of India’s most iconic photographers (possible its most) in its history—remarked of the blind photographers: “I believe what they have captured is much purer than what others do because they are uncorrupted souls. Wohmannkiaankhon se dekhtehai. That innocence is what refines their talent.”

ParthoBhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation, was also on hand to assist the blind artists during workshops he helped to sponsor: “We trained them to click pictures at a workshop that we had organised some months ago,” he noted. “Our supervisors were well-trained but we also registered the presence of some really talented participants, one of them being Bhavesh Patel, who is known for having done a photo-shoot with actress Katrina Kaif.”

In addition, famous photojournalist and photographer RN Mohanty—who is also the head of Sightsavsers’ Indian branch—was on hand, as was the Director Operations, British Council India, Gill Caldicott. They were especially appreciative of the support of Princess SheikhaArwa Al Qassimi, one of Sightsavers’ board members. The exhibit showcased roughly thirty photos centered around themes related to the experiences of the visually impaired and featured blind people as subjects, displaying them performing normal things like dancing and office work but also showing them facing the unique challenges presented by their impairment. One of the blind photographers was there to illuminate his technique and thinking behind his art.

Ketan Kothari, an visually impairedadvocate for the disabled, recently began photographing monuments. He uses volunteers, strangers, and his instinct in his artistic pursuits, but also hisiPhone and its automatic features. His explanation for his pursuits was simple: “Well, if the differently abled could be lawyers, singers, mountaineers, why not photographers as well?”

The event also featured musical performances by visually impaired musicians with the assistance of theHosla Charitable Trust, a fitting addition to a night of arts by, for, and of the blind.

A Photography Project by Blind People

Our modern, mobile, internet connected devices—laptops, cell phones, tablets, etc.—have come to play an increasingly important, now even dominant, role in modern life. The degree to which modern human eyes are glued to screens is unprecedented,with millions developing unacknowledged addictions to these devices. In a modern culture that so heavily operates on sight, where so much human interaction is now across vast distances through internet-connected devices, it can be hard for many to imagine a life without sight.But there are other ways to experience life, and our modern perspective needs more help than ever appreciating these other viewpoints.

The Blind View, an exhibition by Sightsavers, is just the help we needed.

“Though I’ve lost my sight, I haven’t lost my vision.”

Those living with impaired vision rely more heavily on other senses to experience life. What if those with eyesight could “see’ what the blind ‘see?”

The art of photography is an entire art dedicated to seeing. Those able to use their eyes fully generally see photography as a way to freeze moments in time, available on demand and to be shared freely. Most people are not aware that there are other ways to experience the world; what if they could sense, feel, touch, smell, and hear the world the way blind people do, experiencing moments with those heightened senses?What if they could find an exhibit that showcases a new type of photography with which they are completely unfamiliar, one that is a product of and about people who are blind?

The Blind View exists to answer this very question. Its primary purpose is to pull in and surprise people with a photography exhibition that both carries a deep emotional impact and one that gets people to think about what life is like for the blind and how people can better accommodate their blind brothers and sisters. People with visual impairments may lack the quality of eyesight possessed by the vast majority of people, but their other senses are usually enhanced relative to the rest of humanity.The photos exhibited by The Blind Viewhelps to tell the wider public about all of this, helping to challenge the dominant societal view that being blind is simply a disability

Sightsavers, in partnership with Beyond Sight Foundation – a project designed to help blind people – is going to be holding two workshops in India: one in Mumbai in June and one in Bangalore in September. The photography created as part of these sessions will soon be on display in exhibits in each city and also online. The whole process will peakwith a final gala event in Delhi. Backed with mixed media promotional campaigns and public participation that involves both voting on the photographs experiencing life from a visually impaired perspective, The Blind View will bring much public attention to the issues confronting blind people as well as the work and mission of Sightsavers.

Our campaign website www.theblindview.in contains more details, be sure to visit it.

Mumbai, 25th June 2015: A Photography workshop for visually impaired fans of photography was held at the Press Club in Mumbai by Sightsavers, an NGO whose mission is to assist the visually impaired by helping to press for social and political equality/accessibility for the blind. Sightsavers also helps to restore sight and prevent blindness.

This Mumbai workshop was the first of a number of workshops to be held throughout India. The workshops together represent a collective effort titled‘The Blind View’that is being done in cooperation with the Beyond Sight Foundation and is also being sponsored by Her Highness SheikhaArwa Al Qassimi.

After the workshop, a very pleased Mr. Partho Bhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation (BSF), remarked that “We are very pleased to have conducted such a unique workshop for these maturing photographers in partnership with Sightsavers. The participants are being trained to click photos highlighting their day-to-day life and the best photographs will be showcased in an exhibition later this year. The key objective behind this innovative initiative was to look beyond blindness and motivate the participants to believe in themselves and pursue their interest.”

The visually impaired participants had the benefit of being trained by professional photographers and the workshop also featured the participation of the famous visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel, who was coming off of a recent photoshoot for Lux with Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif.

Mr. Amal Gupta, Senior Manager, Brand & Communications, Sightsavers, expressed his organization’s mission when he noted that “Our main motto to organize the event was to showcase the ability of disabled people and to offer an enabling environment to the visually challenged, then they can contribute to the economy rather than being dependent on it.”

The eagerness and energy of the participants for the workshop was noticed by Mr. RN Mohanty, CEO Sightsavers (India). Speaking of the workshop, he said that he “would personally like to wish each participant all the very best in their future and endeavours.”

About Sightsavers:
Sightsavers is a registered charity that works to prevent blindness, restore sight and advocate for social inclusion and equal rights for people with disabilities. The organization has been working in India since 1966. Sightsavers in India till date has been successful in reaching out to 53.4 million people, conducting 36.2 million eye treatments, performing 4.9 million eye operations.

For more information, log on to www.sightsaversindia.in

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