Photography: A New Angle on Seeing By Lin Fong
In a charming seaside town just north of Tel Aviv in Israel, a group of amateur photographers meet religiously once a week to compare their latest creations. Their visual snapshots capture everything from the exquisite to the banal with elegance and simplicity - quite astonishing given that the photographers are blind. The paradoxical nature (some would even say sheer absurdity) of blind photography has not been lost on the project's creators Iris Shinar and Kfir Sivan. When they approached the country's Association for the Blind with their idea to start working with a small group, there were met with a welcoming but somewhat baffled response. "The most important thing was to establish trust between us and the social workers because when you first hear about blind people taking pictures, it sounds like a gimmick, like a joke,'' Iris said. "The blind people themselves were not skeptical at all. They appreciated very much that we trusted them to do it. They are not afraid of challenges.'' Iris and Kfir, both photographers with a strong social conscience, literally stumbled upon the idea on the Internet as they explored ways to contribute creatively to the community. What they found was a fascinating account of blind photography in different parts of the world, including Japan where an exhibition of blind photography is sponsored by the emperor every year. Intrigued, they decided to trial a program in Israel. In collaboration with The Association for the Blind, they began working with a small group of seven students. Some were blind from birth while others had developed the condition during their life. Iris and Kfir began by teaching the students the basic history of art and photography before moving on to the mechanics of using a camera, including specially tailored techniques where they could use their hands to help measure the width of the lens. The students were then equipped with instamatic cameras and films and assigned weekly tasks. The project started at the beginning of 2006 and has since expanded to 12 students, ranging from the ages of 20 up to 70. Iris and Kfir had no idea what to expect from the photos initially, but the results were breathtaking. They quickly discovered that the students had particularly heightened senses and a natural intuitive ability to grasp spatial perspective. They also had a keen feeling for sound, light and heat. For example, one student took a series of beautifully composed shots of a lush canopy of trees. When asked how he had framed the shots so precisely, he replied that he had heard the wind rustle the leaves in a certain way and felt the sun's rays. "Photography gives the blind a kind of common language that connects them to people who see,'" Kfir said. "It helps them create a dialogue with the rest of the world and makes them feel equal. Also it's a recognition of something that they've done that gives them pride.'" They said the subjects the students chose to photograph were interesting, offering windows into their private lives and inner yearnings. They captured everything from friends and family, their homes and hobbies to environments they liked to visit. Basically the photographs acted as a statement to the world that the students, though blind, were no different from others. Iris and Kfir said the weekly photography classes were charged with high energy and constant surprises. Each session was being recorded on video to be presented at an exhibition of the students' photos, which they hoped to hold at the end of the year. They said there were many misconceptions about blindness as a disability. People believed that the condition was disempowering and debilitating, but Iris and Kfir's experience with the group has taught them that the students fully participate in and embrace life. They are so active. They do things I cannot believe," Kfir said. Kfir said one of the students was expert in the delicate art of embroidery, while another cooked dinner for 20 people every week. The latter had chosen to photograph a series based on the theme of cooking couscous as an expression of pride in her culinary talents. Another student had been recognized for her numerous volunteering activities and had even been her own photographer at the awards ceremony. Iris said volunteering on the project had been a tremendous gift for her and Kfir. "We feel that we gain more than we give. It has changed our perspective on disability," Iris said. "You think about disability as the worst thing that can happen to you. We believe blind people have their problems, but they are alive, they don't give up. All of them laugh - they have a great sense of humour." And does it concern the students that they can't see their own photos? "It's enough for them when we tell them what's in the pictures because they use their imagination," Iris replied. "That's why they don't want to photograph in black and white. They have a sense of colour. They imagine in colour." For more information on the blind photography project contact Iris on [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sanjeev Space: http://daarshnicsanjeev.spaces.live.com Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________________ Get the new Windows Live Messenger! http://get.live.com/messenger/overview To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
