Blind people taking pictures in Bolivia

[httpwww.photo.netphoto1664877429]

My friend, Christian Lombardi, a French photojournalist, here in

Bolivia has involved in a project where he is teaching blind people

photography, or when to press the shooter. He sets the camera with a

wide angle lens and encourages the blind to confront, and some time

to harass people on the street. Snap shooting the people and their

reactions. They have got actually interesting pictures, you can see

the reaction of people that laugh and some times feel even repulsion

to the idea. It supposes that this is not necessary art, but a form

of expression that can catch with and eye that they do not have, but

that can be tell by others. Some times y feel that it may be

Ridiculous, a waist of time, or a disrespect to make some one take

pictures that they can not appreciate. I would like to know your

opinion.

Thanks.

[bobatkins]

Beethoven was deaf when he wrote his 9th symphony.

 

I'd imagine photographs by blind people wouldn't necessarily be worse than those taken by sighted people with no vision.

 

I can't say I'm much of a fan of harassing people on the street though.

[chelsea]

Beethoven was getting aged and had already put in a lifetime of composing topnotch musical pieces before the deafness set in. But I really don't see the point in this exercise. But I agree with Bob about "harrassing" people on the street.

[thomas_sullivan]

ever heard of N.E.B.A - National Exhibit for Blind Artists?<br><br><a href="http://nebaart.org">NEBA Website</a><br><br><a href="http://www.philamuseum.org/education/exhibits/neba.shtml">Philadelphia Art Museum and NEBA</a><br><br>

[thomas_sullivan]

<br><br><a href="http://nebaart.org/2004/winners/winners.htm">2004 NEBA Winners</a>

[beatrice_flowers]

Like any composer or conductor worth his salt, Beethoven must have been able to 'hear' the music perfectly well by reading the score. Don't see how you could make something similar happen for blind photographers...

[nesrani]

I can't even see where the payoff would be for the "photographer" if they can't even see the pictures they have taken. Doesn't make any sense to me at all.

[roland_schmid]

I'm shure that many blind people take better pictures then most members of

photo.net, myself included...

[jim kerr]

Sounds to me like the blind person needs to be completely understanding of what's going on. The whole thing sounds like the one who thought it up had either poor taste or none at all...Jim

[mark_warren1]

<i>I'm shure that many blind people take better pictures then most members of photo.net, myself included...</i>

 

<br><Br>How would they know their photo is good? <br><Br>I can understand blind people working with clay or sculpting, but blind photography? Redefines the phrase; point and shoot, I guess.

[d_poinsett]

This is a great example of how context can be so important in visual artistic expression. Irony, social context, and serendipity are the key elements in photos by the blind. Intellectually and emotionally provoking, these works are truly the ultimate in postmodern photography.

[john falkenstine]

Aha! so that's what is going on in the top-rated images on photo.net!!!Those folks are also blind...

[john falkenstine]

Well...maybe some them...

[john_macpherson]

I have worked with people with disabilites in photography and the results have been quite astonishing (not blind people and another tale altogether.)

 

Anyway to my point - there is an Australian film (perhaps mid-nineties but I am not sure, could be earlier) about a blind photographer. Plot is that he cannot (and does not) need to see the images he takes of his friends and relies on his subjects' interpretations of the image's content. He is able to deduce from the comments his friends make (about the people in the images he has taken, and which he shows to all his subjects) that there are various affairs and liaisons going on that the participants would prefer to keep secret. He is then able to be fairly manipulative with this knowledge. If anyone tracks it down or can remember its name please remind me!

 

I agree with the above comments that the 'confrontational' nature of the described 'project' is slightly less than appealing. With some careful consideration the 'project' could be much more beneficial to both participants and subjects.

[george_jiri_loun]

The idea is not new. There was an american photographer (I forgot his name) who put a camera to the hands of blind people and made an exhibit with resulting pictures. He wanted to convene to the seeing people the "vision" of the world by the blind people - a naive and psychologically incorrect concept. After seeing "his" work I had the strong impression that someone wanted to use other's handicap to be interesting in the eyes of others...

[bacsa]

The whole idea seems to me a bit forced. Or, as you say it yourself, ridiculous and disrespectful. + The comparison with Beethowen is strange, since he did not learn to compose when he was deaf... he did produce quite nice stuff well before.

<p>

And, why should one accept harrassment from a blind and not accept it from a person who can see? Just because they are blind? That is disrespectful both to the blind person and his/her "victim".

<p>

OTOH, for a photo<b>journalist</b> I'm sure there are/will be nice things coming out...

[ronald_biese]

Beethoven at his time was not liked. In fact he played piano so strange that nobody liked his work at this time. He past away totally poor and only today his work is regarded as art. I went to university

in Bonn where Beethoven lived. Thera was along discussion how to present his house. Today it is what people like to see, but in fact it was a street nobody liked to pass at his time. Van Gogh is the same history, at his time his art was nothing at all.

[nathaniel_pearson]

Some photographic emulsions are thick enough that sensitive fingers might be able

to spatially interpret density differences. Could be rough on the film to exhibit it for

touch over the long term -- but one can imagine cleverer -digital- ways that a

photographer could get prompt non-visual feedback (via some other modality like

temperature, or contour of a display surface, &c.) on how light is bouncing around a

live scene.

[keith turrill]

As to the question of blind photography, there are "Braille Embossers" capable of pressing graphic images on to paper for tactile (touch sensation). So yes blind photography is technically possible.

[neild]

John, I think the film you speak of is <a href="http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/p/proof.html"><b>Proof</b></a>...

[shalini_saycocie]

Aperture Magazine put out a book a few years ago called <a href="http://www.aperture.org/store/books-detail.aspx?ID=210" target="_blank">Shooting Blind</a>. And I think it's a great concept. I don't think it's ridiculous at all, nor a waste of time as you might think.

<p>

Firstly, not all people are completely blind. There are those that are partially blind and can still sense light. They're still able to paint with light and create some lovely images.

<p>

I also think it's a great form of expression for those that are seeing impaired. Once one's sight is taken away, they can compensate for it in other ways. Through their sense of touch, smell, etc.

<p>

I hope your friend's project wasn't in vain, in an attempt to mock the people he was working with. As long as it was a genuine gesture to boost their confidence and overcome their disability, then I don't think it's a problem.

[todd_k.]

Funny, I have been thinking about teaching monkeys to do the same thing.

[leonardo_ayres]

Have you ever heard about Evgen Bavcar?

 

You can read about this blind photographer at

http://www.zonezero.com/exposiciones/fotografos/bavcar/

[iris_shinar]

we are pleased to invite you to visit our new website and tour the gallery of nine blind photographers. We will be pleased to hear your comments and share with us any similar experience that you have.