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Home > TME Community > Share Your Work > Abstract > A Blind Perspective Series
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A Blind Perspective Series
Started September 9, 2009 @ 3:36pm by ablindperspective
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ablindperspective
Posts: 52 |
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| A Blind Perspective Series | September 9, 2009 @ 3:36pm | This is the project I have been working on I use my glasses and lens and put it over the lens of the camera that is why the picture on the right is blurry. The first picture is taken normally
This is something I encounter all the time when I either go to restaurants or fast food places. Being legally blind I can't see the menu that is pinned up on the wall like the rest of the sighted world. So what usually happens is that I tend to get the same thing all the time when I go to certain fast food places because I don't know what else there is to get so I just get what I know is there. In this case, the Muddy Cup a small coffee shop, honestly this is the first time looking at the photo that I have actually seen the menu and everything that is on it. I believe much of the sighted world takes this type of thing for granted and doesn't realize that it is very hard for a person who has a visual disability.
Being legally blind affects every aspect of my life. Using public bathrooms is no exception. Anytime I go to a public restroom, I have to stand 2 inches away from the men/women bathroom sign in order to see if I'm going into the Men's bathroom and not the women's bathroom. Unlike the sighted world, I cannot simply glance at a sign and determine what bathroom I need to go into I need to be 2 inches close to it to determine if it's men's or not. As you can see from the picture on the right it is hard to distinguish if the the character on the sign is a man or woman. In addition to the fact that the Text is relatively small so I can't see the word "Men" from a distance over 6 inches.
Being legally blind is a challenge every day, and most things that are challenging the "sighted world" simply takes for granted. Shaving is difficult for me because I cannot see exactly where I am shaving. So in order to make sure I do a good job, I methodically go in a pattern as to cover my entire face. On the left is what a sighted person would see on the right is what I see when I shave.
Being Legally blind, one challenge I face on a consistent basis is grocery shopping. Beyond the 6 inches of my vision, I can't see the prices of many of the items on the shelves. whether it's, in this case bread, milk, cereal, or anything I can't see the price and I often buy the more expensive product not because I want to but because I don't see the small "sale" sign or the better priced item. I thought this really demonstrated this whole idea.
So What do you guys think I still have a lot of sets of pictures to take but this is the start of a project I have. I plan to have atleast 15 sets of pictures.
If you want to see more of my stuff please go to my website:
www.ablindperspective.com
Thanks Guys!
______
“Happiness and love are just a choice away.”
Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia |
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Last Edit: September 9, 2009 @ 5:01pm by ablindperspective | |
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Flo
Posts: 17,472 |
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| September 9, 2009 @ 4:43pm | Nicholas, these do illustrate very well what your sighted world looks like. I'm glad you are doing this, too, as it's a great educational project to get good-sighted people to understand.
Do you have a friend who can shop with you? And when you go to a restaurant, how about carrying with you a couple of these pairs of images? You can show them to the waitperson and explain that you'd love to see their menu and/or specials but you can't read it from where you're sitting - and probably not even if you'd stand up close.
Several restaurants I've been to lately also have had their specials printed on a page and stuck inside their regular menu folders.
I still can't read the specials on chalkboards. I used to be so nearsighted that everything from 6 inches from he tip of my nose was blurry and of course, the further away from my nose, the blurrier the scene got.
One day about 8-10 years ago, I decided to not wear my glasses inside my home. I knew where things were, so didn't really need stuff to be in sharp focus.
Over time, by not using my glasses so much, my vision actually improved! I didn't do any of the eye exercises that are available for near-sighted and far-sighted people, either.
I got so I could see well enough during the daytime to drive without my glasses, but still had to use them at night.
Now the only time I use my glasses is at night when I'm driving in a strange area and need to read street signs. I can also see individual tree leaves on the opposite side of the street. But I still have problems when trying to read text at a distance.
My progress was very slow in the beginning, and sometimes I'd get discouraged. But over time, the improvement did speed up. I don't know whether doing what I did would help your vision improve. But I'm just passing along my experiences in case you want to try this.
Flo - PPY
"May we live in peace without weeping. May our joy outline the lives we touch without ceasing. And may our love fill the world, angel wings beating." aziza
http://photos.tonebytone.com |
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JohnC
Posts: 763 |
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| September 9, 2009 @ 4:50pm | I think this is great. There is so much we take for granted. Are you considering submitting the group of images to a magazine or anything like that?
One thing, on the restroom signs, so many places try to be "fancy" with their signs that even well sighted people can't figure out which one is which.
Please continue the series!
John Cornicello
Seattle, wa
http://www.johncornicello.com |
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Becky
Posts: 2,560 |
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| September 9, 2009 @ 7:00pm | Nicholas, I agree, what a neat idea.
No, I do not know how difficult it is to be in your shoes, even having been close friends with several people who were blind, it is very much not the same thing.
Becky |
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wingspar
Posts: 61 |
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| September 12, 2009 @ 12:51pm | Interesting perspective. My eyesight is something I’d hate to loose. I lost hearing in one ear when I was 14. Nerve damage from the mumps. I’ve adjusted over the years. I’m 63 now, and don’t even remember what it was like to be able to hear in both ears. Most of the time, I can not tell direction of sound. I can’t imagine losing the hearing in my other ear, or losing my eyesight. This is a very good series. Educational. Well done.
Gary
Will Fly for Food... and more Nikon stuff |
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ablindperspective
Posts: 52 |
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| Doing Dishes | September 12, 2009 @ 2:12pm | As silly as it seams, doing dishes can be hard for me Especially if there is some fancy dancy design of the plate like the one in the picture. This is because a spec of food can often look like (at least to me) the design on the plate so I scrub and scrub away..... at the design on the plate! Other times when I am washing a dish that is dark colored black or brown I often times can't see the food that needs to be washed off. What I have done to compensate for this is to braille the entire dish, pot, or pan to see if there are any bumps if there are then I wash that area very hard and repeat the process. So there it is how I see dish washing!
If you want to see more of my stuff please go to my website:
www.ablindperspective.com
Thanks Guys!
______
“Happiness and love are just a choice away.”
Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia |
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Last Edit: September 12, 2009 @ 2:13pm by ablindperspective | |
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| September 12, 2009 @ 3:06pm | | Nicholas, this is a very interesting series. I've always been aware that I take sight (and all of my blessings) for granted, but an exercise like this is certainly a reminder. Thanks for posting. |
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Flo
Posts: 17,472 |
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| September 13, 2009 @ 8:12am | Nicholas, I too "braille" my dishes when washing, as my touch is more sensitive to bits of stuff left stuck on dishes than my eyesight is to discern esp small particles.
Can you explain the camera set up and how you know you have an image in focus? Do you use auto-focus? Because your images are superbly focused, even tho you yourself probably can't see whether they are in focus. A set-up when you are shooting over your shoulder like this is hard enough for people with good eyesight to do, esp if they used themselves as the subject.
Flo - PPY
"May we live in peace without weeping. May our joy outline the lives we touch without ceasing. And may our love fill the world, angel wings beating." aziza
http://photos.tonebytone.com |
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Bill
Posts: 362 |
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| September 13, 2009 @ 9:04am | Nicholas, this is a great idea. I too have some physical limitations and although I can't fully comprehend what you are experiencing due to your limited vision, I understand the challenges that can arise each and every day simply doing what everyone else takes for granted. Businesses and the public need to be made aware of the hurdles we face and you're project goes a long way towards accomplishing this. Thanks for sharing.
BILL B. PPY
http://blabirch.blogspot.com/
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ablindperspective
Posts: 52 |
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| September 13, 2009 @ 12:19pm |
Quote (Flo)
Nicholas, I too "braille" my dishes when washing, as my touch is more sensitive to bits of stuff left stuck on dishes than my eyesight is to discern esp small particles.
Can you explain the camera set up and how you know you have an image in focus? Do you use auto-focus? Because your images are superbly focused, even tho you yourself probably can't see whether they are in focus. A set-up when you are shooting over your shoulder like this is hard enough for people with good eyesight to do, esp if they used themselves as the subject. |
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Well let me answer your question about how I focus my shots. Unless I am using a very low F-stop 1.8-2.8 I use auto focus. I say this because I can't us AF when I want shallow DOF because often times the AF will focus on the wrong thing. However, when I do not use AF on regular shots what I do is I take the picture then look at it in my LCD and blow it up to see the details and if they are in focus or not.
Regarding this picture, it was quite hard to set up. I had my tripod set up about three inches behind me set on a 10 second timer. It took me awhile just to get the "over the shoulder height" you were talking about. Then after I got the height, which was well above my head I'm 4'11 camera was probably at 5'3ish, it took me a while to get the zoom correct because I wanted the viewer to be able to see the food particles on the plate. Thank you for your compliments Flo and do you know of any magazines I could send this series into?
If you want to see more of my stuff please go to my website:
www.ablindperspective.com
Thanks Guys!
______
“Happiness and love are just a choice away.”
Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia |
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Flo
Posts: 17,472 |
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| September 13, 2009 @ 1:48pm | Thanks for your explanation. Before even trying to submit images to any magazine, find out what their submissions policies are. Some publish articles only by invitation.
Then you'll need to write up an article to go with the photos, explaining your situation and why you shot this series and what you hope to accomplish by this.
Here again, if their guidelines say they allow up to 1000 or so words, make sure you follow that, too.
Try Googling magazines for handicapped people - or whatever other key words you can think of. Get a friend to go with you to a large bookstore, such as Borders or Barnes & Noble and look through the magazine section. Your friend can help you find relevant magazines quickly.
If anyone here has any knowledge of specific magazines, please let Nicholas know.
Flo - PPY
"May we live in peace without weeping. May our joy outline the lives we touch without ceasing. And may our love fill the world, angel wings beating." aziza
http://photos.tonebytone.com |
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ablindperspective
Posts: 52 |
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| Telling time | September 15, 2009 @ 1:01pm | Here is something the sighted world takes for granted, Looking at your watch. Now before I say anything I want people to know that these pictures are relevant to about a foot away, that is to say what you see on the right is how I would see the image a foot away. If I hold up the object or go up to the object so it is right in front of my nose it's as clear as day. That being said. looking at my watch for me isn't the easiest, for one I have to find a watch that has big numbers and is at least quasi-block style numbers, no fancy dancy styles. Also I have to find a watch that has good contrast black on white All while looking professional. A watch is something that in the professional world, I believe can show professionalism where a digital watch does not even though it may be simpler and easier to read it doesn't convey to me at least professionalism. So there it is looking at my watch.
If you want to see more of my stuff please go to my website:
www.ablindperspective.com
Thanks Guys!
______
“Happiness and love are just a choice away.”
Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia |
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ablindperspective
Posts: 52 |
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| Public Transportation | September 15, 2009 @ 10:29pm | Hey Folks so here is another installment to my A Blind Perspective Series
This is a particularly frustrating part of being legally blind. When I am going to ride a bus, when it approaches I see what is on the left, therefore I cannot tell if it s the correct bus to take. In this case the "12 bus" is not the bus I want, I want the 10 so I have to ask the bus driver and many times the bus drivers are not to nice about it. So when I ask "Is this the 10 Bus" they say "No it's not the 10 bus it's the 12 can't you read!" So that is particularly frustrating because I have to ask every time. Just looking at me, you would not think that I am legally blind, I get around just like everybody else, I negotiate my way across the street ect ect. so people don't tend to help me when i could need the help, what I have done is I use a cane that in many ways signifies to the world "Hey I'm a blind guy" so when I ask those questions like "is this the 10 bus" people don't give me slack for asking the question. Also, when I ask for directions with my cane I get much more detailed directions than I would if I didn't have my cane, some people will actually walk me to my destination. So when I am in a new part of town or someplace I don't know where I'm going I will use my cane. So there it is, how I see riding the bus.
If you want to see more of my stuff please go to my website:
www.ablindperspective.com
Thanks Guys!
______
“Happiness and love are just a choice away.”
Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia |
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Last Edit: September 15, 2009 @ 10:37pm by ablindperspective | |
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Bill H.
Posts: 332 |
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| September 15, 2009 @ 11:12pm | Nicholas - This is a very in-lighting series, Keep them coming.
Bill H.
PPY
" Do not go where the path might lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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Flo
Posts: 17,472 |
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| September 16, 2009 @ 8:08am | Golly, Nicholas, I really admire you for coming up with creative solutions to your situation - the use of the cane tells smart alecks that you are indeed sincere in asking for help.
Flo - PPY
"May we live in peace without weeping. May our joy outline the lives we touch without ceasing. And may our love fill the world, angel wings beating." aziza
http://photos.tonebytone.com |
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assignment
Community Assignment #53
Picture Window
Due Date: September 16, 2011 |
Have you heard about the Backyard Shots Photography Guide "Street Portraiture with CraigTanner"?
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