Tag: pictures

Sightsavers is an association that aims at preventing unnecessary blindness, restore sight, and campaign for the social inclusion and equal treatment of persons with disabilities. Recently, the organization coordinated a photography workshop for the admirers of photography done by blind persons at the Press Club in Mumbai.

The workshop, which was named ‘The Blind View’ was the pioneer in the series of Sightsavers’ advocacy events held across the country. The workshop was organized in collaboration with Beyond Sight Foundation. Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi also sponsored the event.

Mr. Partho Bhowmick, the founder of Beyond Sight Foundation (BSF), stated that his foundation was delighted to have conducted such a special workshop for the upcoming photographers in collaboration with Sightsavers. The workshop’s participants were given training on how to click photos depicting their everyday life. The finest of those photographs will be presented in an exhibition that is to be held later in the year. The core purpose of this creative initiative was to create a better perception of blindness and to inspire the participants to have confidence in themselves and pursue their goals.

The workshop’s participants were trained on taking great pictures by accomplished experts. In attendance was the popular blind photographer, Bhavesh Patel. Recently, Bhavesh did a photo shoot for a Lux advertisement with Katrina Kaif, a Bollywood actress.

The Senior Manager, Brand & Communications- Sightsavers, Mr. Amal Guptaacknowledged that the company’s motto in organizing the workshop was to highlight the talents of disabled persons. In addition, the company sought to create an empowering environment in which the visually impaired can work to attain economic independence instead of being dependants.

The CEO of Sightsavers (India) – Mr. RN Mohanty, was contented with the evident passion the participants had for the photography workshop. He expressed his goodwill for the participants by wishing them“the best in their future endeavors.”

The use of cell-phones, laptops, TVs and other electronic gadgetry are an essential part of our lives. Nowadays, people tend to spend most of their time with these visual devices. In a civilization that is as vision-centric as ours, it is usually difficult for sighted persons to comprehend a blind life. However, there is more to being blind than what we see, and our collective subconscious needs a precision surgery to alter our perspective on blindness. The Blind View is a Sightsavers’ initiative that is meant to be the precision surgery that changes our perspective on blindness. Persons that are visually impaired make use of other senses to create visions. What if sighted persons could visualize what blind persons see?

Photography serves as an extension of sight. Sighted people see photography simply as a way to capture moments and scenes. What if they realized that sight supersedesthe simple act of seeing? What if they appreciated moments, textures, and odors through photographs? What if they learnt that there is a dissimilar kind of photography that they are entirely unacquainted with- a unique form of photography that is upheld by the blind?

The Blind View aims to fascinate and astonish people with highly influential events and connections to increase understanding on the abilities of blind persons. The Blind may have deteriorating eyesight, but that is often compensated by a better understanding of their environments using other senses. The Blind View project highlights these realities and confronts the prevalent perceptions on disability.

Sightsavers, in collaboration with Beyond Sight Foundation a photography series for those living with vision impairment, will carry out two photography workshops for blind persons in Mumbai (June) and Bangalore (September). The photos taken in these workshops will be displayed soon afterwards in public exhibitions in the two cities and also in online virtual galleries- all concluding in a gala event in Delhi. Supported by strong online and offline promotional activities, voting for the best photos by the public, and numerous sensitization exercises, the movement will increase awareness about Sightsavers and the significance of the social inclusion of blind people.

Mumbai, 1st August 2015: Sightsavers is an organization that works to reduce the incidence of preventable loss of sight,promote sight restoration as well assupport the social inclusion and equal rights for the disabled.The organization recently held an exhibition of pictures taken by blind photographers. The exhibition took place at the Orbit Mall (Malad), Mumbai. The collaboration of the Sightsavers alongside Beyond Sight Foundation contributed to the successful display of photography done by visually impaired photographers in a workshop supported by Her Highness SheikhaArwa Al Qassimi.
Mr. RN Mohanty CEO, Sightsavers India stated that the initiative aimed at changing the perception that the visually impaired are a liability to their families and that the society is oblivious of the challenges faced by the blind. He added that Sightsavers intended to disapprove that perception and show that the visually impaired are capable of being independent and pursuing their interests.
Mr. ParthoBhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation (BSF) remarked that the exhibition could create a linkbetween the abled and physically challenged persons. He added that it would help people to better perceive the world from the visually disadvantaged persons’ point of view.
The photography workshop was held on June, this year. Participants received training on ideal picture clicking under the instruction of proficient experts. The famous visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel, who recently did a photo shoot with Katrina Kaif, a Bollywood actress,was among the experts who took part in the workshop. The photographer is well known for hisphotoshoot with Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif.Bhavesh clarified that the visually impaired felt the need to be treated like ordinary persons in the society. Additionally, he emphasized that the disadvantaged are part of the society. Thus, they should not be sympathized with.
Upon its successfulcompletion, the workshop in Mumbai saw 20 portraitson seven different themes being shortlisted in which blind participants were clicked by their counterparts while carrying out a sequence of interesting activities. Every picture illustrates a unique story representing diverse aspects of being blind.
According to,Amal Gupta, Senior Manager,Brand and communications-Sightsavers, the exhibition served to portray the lives and abilities of blind persons; their day to day activities such as going to work, etc.
Sightsavers is a registered organization that aims at preventing the loss of sight,promote sight restoration as well assupportthe social inclusion and equivalent rights for the disabled. The organization has been operating in India since 1966, where it has reached 53.4 million people. It has carried out 36.2 million eye treatments and 4.9 million eye treatments.