Sights Unseen: Sensory Photography by blind and visually impaired people

I came across Photovoice three months ago through a friend and have been fascinated by the charity and its projects ever since. The most recent exhibition held at the AOP was inspirational – ‘Sights Unseen: Sensory photography’ by blind and visually impaired people.  This project took place within communities in UK, China and Mexico, using various photographic techniques to enable comfort and confidence with the camera, resulting in a form of expression that may otherwise have been untouched. Not being visually impaired myself or having any experience with a visually impaired person, I didn’t quite get it at first glance. However I slowly began to realize that was in fact the beauty of it, there was another visual language taking place.

Through instinct I look at a gallery of images and scrutinize the aspects of composition, light, colour and context, when really I know that there is no such thing as ‘the perfect image’, and is it that important anyway? In many cases when a sighted person takes an image we almost skim the surface of what’s actually there. A visually impaired person will really feel what they’re doing and the environment they’re in. I feel that by not seeing it  adds a whole new dimention and depth to a photograph.

One of the participants was fascinated by corners and the joints of different surfaces beneath him. This is something I wouldn’t even notice whilst going about my routine, but for him he could walk a route once and if he returned he would know exactly where he was going through the feel of different ‘landmarks’ in the pavement. His project was therefore based around his enthusiasm for these elements. I think this is fantastic, as he has   communicated his experience of being sightless through a visual medium, breaking all boundaries. I gather this project its about letting people know it is possible, from both sides of the spectrum.

“being able to free yourself from expectation makes the difference between an average shot and an amazing shot”

Each visually impaired or blind person can see different amounts of the world and in different forms, in a less extreme way this is also true of sighted people. What I might describe as blue could be green  to you? whether we have good vision or not we all see and understand the world differently, we are unique. How we communicate these understandings and experiences may vary, but one thing is true to all and that is each one is equally valuable.