Alice:
Very well expressed. In my opinion, of course.
R. E. (Dick) Driscoll, Sr.
On 8/28/2015 11:48 AM, Alice Dampman Humel wrote:
Carl,
the constitutional guarantee of the right to free speech does not protect us from the damnation and ire of other private citizens. That woman who baited Abdulah, then left in high dudgeon was acting on her own, not on behalf of any governmental or official entity.
The big difference is that, supposedly, we are free to speak our minds without fear of governmental or official reprisal…with all the notable exceptions…McCarthy era, to name one…
And, if I read Abdulah’s story correctly, when he explained to the director what had happened, she did not reprimand Abdulah, she apparently recognized the situation for what it was, and only warned Abdulah for his own good not to engage in such discussions in the future and, very importantly, told him to report any clients who tried to engage him in such discussions in the future…in other words, the director laid the fault exactly where it belonged, with the woman who entrapped Abdulah into a discussion, then made the ridiculous remark about being put into the hands of a terrorist…
In countries where there is less freedom of speech, you know what would have happened to Abdulah…woman denounces him for speaking against the current regime? We all know how that usually turns out in such places as that. At least here, Abdulah received no punishment or sanctions from the director for his uncomplimentary remarks about Bush.
Alice
On Aug 28, 2015, at 12:13 PM, Carl Jarvis <carjar82@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:carjar82@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Good Friday Morning, Abdulah,
It is not easy for someone coming to this Land as an adult, to learn
how to establish themselves.
As a nation, we say great and noble things about personal freedom and
the right to speak our minds. But it is all conditioned upon current
practices. As an outspoken Radical and an Agnostic, I am careful when
working with clients, not to discuss my politics, my lack of Faith and
sex. Those are the taboo topics. The fact is, you with your more
recent arrival in this country, along with your English and your
religion, you need to be even more on guard with customers than do I.
It's a terrible truth to have to learn. We are free to say what we
choose to say, so long as it either agrees with the other person, or
we say it in our private room.
With few exceptions, Cathy and I tell clients that we are very
interested in what they are saying, but we are not allowed to engage
in such discussions. Rarely do people press the issue. And of
course, the ones who do are the ones we need to be on guard against.
So you are learning that there are work related values regarding
freedom of expression. The rule of thumb is, do not express your
beliefs.
It is wrong, and it is unfair. Especially for someone who is new to America.
The truth is that we have about the same freedom of speech as do the
Chinese or the Russians or the French. In any of those cultures you
can speak your mind, once you have learned their rules. There are
countries where the rules are very strict and any deviation, whether
in public or overheard in private, would cost you your life. But here
in America, once we know the rules, we can spew out most anything we
believe. This list is a good example of a place where we can open up
a little. At least for the time being.
On the job, I must play by different rules, if I choose to continue
working. While I do not like it, I enjoy eating and other basic
comforts, so I keep my thoughts to myself. It will be our downfall as
a nation, but at times we can only look out for ourselves.
I wish I lived closer to you, it's hard to be of help from a distance.
But keep your self respect no matter what happens, and keep looking
for ways to move forward.
Carl Jarvis
On 8/28/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:Abdulah,
You should be able to say whatever you wish to say. But there are some
situations in which it is wiser not to do so. It depends on what the
consequences will be. Americans say that they value free speech. However,
it
depends on who is speaking and what is being said.
Miriam
________________________________
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of abdulah aga
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 9:36 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article by blind photographer
yes they are push for answers,
but when you give to them then they are don't like.
If I looking for answers or if I pushing some body for answers
and when people give to me then if I don't like what can I do?
jus shut up my mouth,
what ales I can do!.
even if I live in communist country time when I grow up communist system
was
not so strong,
you could tell many thinks,
I learn that I should say my thought.
but here looks like
like I say welcome in SSR.
abdulah hasic
From: Alice Dampman Humel <mailto:alicedh@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 6:57 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article by blind photographer
Miriam,
well, I guess Abdulah has now learned to keep his thoughts to himself now,
too, learned the hard way.
That woman baited him, then closed in for the kill. It's shameful what she
did.
People do this all the time.they ask questions, push for answers, then get
ugly if they don't happen to like the answers they get.
Alice
On Aug 27, 2015, at 10:37 PM, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
wrote:
Abdulah,
That is quite a story. But I have to tell you that when I was
working, I had
a rule for myself. I never discussed politics or religion with my
clients. I
had clients with many different viewpoints and most of them were
different
from mine. So if they talked about what they thought, I just
listened. Every
once in a while, I came across someone who actually thought the way
I did,
and I then felt comfortable agreeing with them. But those were
exceptions.
Now if I'd had someone like your customer, who was so insistent, it
would
have been more difficult. But I probably would have told her that I
don't
discuss politics with my customers because I want to concentrate on
doing my
work. It's something I learned when I went to social work school, to
keep a
wall beetween my personal life and feelings, and my work. It's a
kind of
self protection.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of abdulah
aga
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 9:44 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article by blind
photographer
Hi every one and thanks for trying and giving suggestion to me.
I agree with Miriam what she sed about me,
I have to say this, up to
2001 life was easy for me and mostly was going how I want it,
with comition for blind,
but from 2001 everything was change, every body trying Ron way or
find
esquse to ether don't talk or forget whet she or he did with me
about my
case or even they are clows my case with out nod is to me:
2003 when I get new case worker when I apply for service and I told
to her
story that I even didn't know that is my case clows she sad jus I
know and
jus told me no problem don't worry.
she was so nice person bud she told to me she don't want work long
time for
this organization:
I herd lader that she left work for some police agency.
Carl and other member of this list,
you have to know when I talk with person over phone or some where in
park it
is everything ok,
but when I say my name is Abdulah then story is torly defrentds,
some people who don't know that this name is associate with Muslim
name
continue talk,
but after that when they are find out that is my name Muslim name
then story
is different.
There is all problem,
who want agree or not but this is reality in USA.
Carl and other member of this list, let me share one story who I
didn't
share with almost no one.
So 2003 yare I will never forget,
this is when I was on intershift for massage therapy what I should
work
round 300 hours after that I could take state exam.
So that day I get one old lady to massage,
she told to me who is she and that she use to work in down town for
given
people passport,
and now she is ritayere
and she ask me for name so on so on where are I am coming from and
how I
like so on so on,
and then she ask me about lection in USA that yare was presidents
yare for
new president or new president of USA, yu know who was president
that yare.
She ask me whom I would like to bee president Boosh Or Jon Cary.
I told to her who ever USA people elect I don't mind,
She sad so I would like to bee Boosh agen president,
I told to her I wouldn't like but who ask me what I like what ever
people of
USA say we have to except!
she say why don't like Boosh to bee president?
I sad we have him and he make war so what we get new in USA nothing
jus more
people died that it,
so I don't like war that why I am here because of war.
So she told to me yea but Boosh have to make war for pees because
Sad am
Hussein have nuclear bomb!,
I asks here so did we find nuclear bomb?
she say no because he move it in Syria!,
I sad yes nuclear bomb or nuclear thinks is so small,
muss bee he poot in packets and move in to Syria no one could see
when and
how he move it!.
then she say stop I don't want talk with you and stand up from
table,
go and tell director I didn't know that you poot me in to hands of
terrorist.
when director asks me what happened I told all what is happened,
director told to me why did you talk to her?
I told to her I didn't want to, but she jus asking and asking.
then director told to me next time don't talk and jus make report!
so see every body may say what they are feel and how they are feel,
jus I mustn't.
If you are in this position, how would you like feel and what ales I
should
to say or even to try.
Abdulah Hasic.
-----Original Message-----
From: Miriam Vieni
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 3:33 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article by blind
photographer
Carl,
I know that you were trying to help Abdulah. I just wanted to point
out that
your situation is so different from his and that hearing about how
one blind
person has been successful, although it can sometimes be helpful and
inspiring, can also feel discouraging because each of us is so
different.
Our personalities are different. Our circumstances are different.
Sometimes,
it can even make someone feel really bad about oneself if he or she
can't
emulate the model. You are warm and outgoing and you can assert
yourself. I
know that I am not at all like that and I certainly would be unable
to reach
out to people in the way that you did. But I have to say that I have
a great
deal of respect for people who come to a new country and put forth
the
effort to learn to speak a new language and adjust to a completely
new way
of life. I can't imagine myself being able to do that. It takes
tremendous
courage and strength. I wish that all of our fellow countrymen were
more
welcoming to newcomers.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl
Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 2:57 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article by blind
photographer
All you say is very true, Miriam. But still, Abdulah is where he is
and has
to rely on what abilities he has. Probably listing the sort of
things that
worked for me has no application for him. But I would still say
that
Abdulah and anyone who is in similar situations, need to develop a
plan to
reach their goals. And most employment goals are reached through
contact
with people in the desired field of employment. Some time back I
tried
reaching out to a couple of people I know near where Abdulah lives.
Neither
of them ever bothered to return my emails. I believe that both are
in the
NFB, and I'd hoped they could access some assistance from that
organization.
Actually, I should learn to keep my big mouth shut when I know so
little
about another person's situation. And the distance also limits what
I might
do if I lived close by. It's frustrating to see Abdulah struggling,
and no
blind people are willing to spend the energy and time to help him
over the
hump.
Carl Jarvis
On 8/27/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Carl,
You were born in America and grew up in the area where you
ended up
seeking work as a blind person. You had sight as an adult
and had jobs
before you became totally blind. You had relationships
before you
became totally blind.
All of these gave you many advantages that Abdulah doesn't
have. He is
new to this country. He is still learning to be proficient
in english.
He is totally blind. So it is much more difficult for him
to even
know what groups to join, let alone, to be integrated into
these
groups. I don't know if there are people in his area of
Texas who do
the kind of work that Sylvie does in Seattle, but that's who
he needs
to connect with, someone who can help him become more
proficient in
reading and speaking english and in finding entry into this
society,
because being an immigrant and totally blind in a state
which isn't
known for its welcoming attitudes toward people who aren't
white
Christians, is really hard.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 10:08 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article by blind
photographer
Abdulah, Miriam is correct. Blind people have an easier
time finding
work in the social services field, and in particular with
government
agencies.
But that is not to say that we don't meet with prejudice and
ignorance...maybe that's the same thing. Something I used
to promote
in my own Training Center, was the value of connecting with
other people.
Volunteer in groups that have exposure to the sort of work
you are
wanting to find. Join social action groups. Become
involved in
political organizations, church groups, neighborhood work
groups, any
sort of activity that is comfortable for you to join, will
put you in
contact with people who will learn that your blindness is
not going to
hold you back. I joined bowling leagues, social clubs,
democratic
party politics and blind organizations in an effort to put
myself
around people who might help me connect with a job. I
campaigned for
a man who ran for Seattle City Council. He promised me a
job, if he
won. Too bad he lost.
But seriously, I became known in my neighborhood. I ran and
was
elected as precinct committeeman, I sold Fuller Brush door
to door, I
rang doorbells for almost every fund raiser that came along.
And
through my involvement in the Blind Organization, I met,
among many
others, Ken Hopkins, and we became fast friends. When we
succeeded
in the passage of our Commission for the Blind bill, Ken was
hired as
director. He offered me a job. I took it.
I will admit that I had a job by that time, but working in
Seattle,
organizing blind people, had more appeal than serving lunch
to Spokane
County workers.
While I knew that I had the qualifications to do the work I
did at the
Commission for the Blind, I would never have been hired by
the past
administration. I had no college degree. I had organized
opposition
to the inept administration. I could have been the last
unemployed
man on Earth, and they would have hired a Cow.
But what I'm saying is that all of this activity, this
volunteer work,
this joining and participating proved to people that I was
competent,
despite being blind.
Of course we blind people will have more rejections, more
doors
slammed in our faces, than sighted people. But withdrawing
is only
going to make our lives more isolated. If I am rejected, I
waste no
time being angry or hurt.
I turn my back on that closed door and head for the next
one. I
advised students to seek out people with whom they could
speak
frankly, asking what advice they would give to help find
work. People
are often more than flattered by such requests.
There are far, far more opportunities than there are closed
doors.
Carl Jarvis
On 8/27/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Abdulah,
It's certainly true that there's discrimination
against blind people.
That receptionist was wrong to tell a customer in
advance that the
only massage therapist available is blind because
she was allowing
the customer to refuse your services on the basis of
his or her
prejudices. And it is certainly true that after I
received my social
work degree, I had a great deal of difficulty
finding a job. It isn't
only in the US that this happens. People all over
the world have
fears and prejudices about blind people. But what I
meant was that
even though it may be difficult, a blind person is
more likely to get
a job as a social worker than in many other fields,
certainly much
more likely than as a photographer.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of abdulah
aga
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 6:07 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article
by blind
photographer
Hi Miriam and other list member
Miriam you sad this
can't she get work as a social worker?
you have to know that is not same in every state,
every town,
things is different:
like my case, in some state and some town it is very
easy get what
people want to, but for other people for some
rizents is very hard.
Like me, I am lost any hop for any work, what ever I
try its com
something to enable me to do:
even if I have so many training for some work or so
on so on, jus one
examples when I took course for massage therapy and
I have to do
round 300 hours intershift like practical on patient
massage, when
some call to ask for massage or to see when he or
she can com,
lady who work on front desk each time when some one
call she say we
have one guy he is right now free but he is blind!
now when you have some one from other site phone and
her it and he or
she didn't have contact with blind people then you
can thinks what
reaction is it.
thru this course I learn something what I never
didn't thinks that
can happen in USA and I have positive thinks about
USA and people's
behave to blind people,
for that time I find out I was rung,
for that time I see how is very hard or almost
impossible find job
for blind people or how much is stereo type to
disable in USA.
we her talking jus for ordinal people as stereotype
but more big
problem is on feel by education people who is job to
help or who work
with blind people.
Carle make good exompool when he work for blind
and when was one senator in visit,
when sad you blind people should get what ever you
want to, but next
time when was wotting for something about disable he
was agenst that,
this is good sine how education people understand
blind people and
when they are need to do something then this people
do agenst blind
people good understanding.
abdulah hasic.
-----Original Message-----
From: Carl Jarvis
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 3:06 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: interesting article
by blind
photographer
Naturally I wondered the same thing. My guess would
be that her
employer was eager to help her out of a job, and she
was too
uninformed and traumatized to resist. From time to
time we encounter
such people. They felt they could not do the job,
even though blind
people were doing the same work elsewhere. By the
time they are
referred to us, all doors have been closed.
As an old photographer myself, I would not consider
pointing a camera
and clicking to be Art. But for someone with
limited vision, someone
who can appreciate general shapes and patterns and
shades, I'd say,
"go
for it".
But if I were looking for a job that paid a living
wage, I'd explore
ways of opening doors to the profession I'd been
employed in prior to
vision loss.
Then photography would be a relaxing leisure time
hobby.
My bet is that this woman lacks the self-confidence
and the
information she needs to go back into her former
field. I know many
blind people in the social services field who are
making a decent
living. I know of none in photography making
anything approaching a
living.
Carl Jarvis
Carl Jarvis
On 8/26/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
wrote:
Why can't she get work as a social worker?
That's one of the
professions that has been open to blind
people. Well, open in a
limited fashion but it's ironic that she
says her blindness stopped
her from being a social worker.
As for her photography, I'm glad she's
enjoying it. I'm not sure
that what she's doing is art, but it's nice
that she's having fun.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl
Jarvis
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 10:43 AM
To: blind-democracy
Subject: [blind-democracy] interesting
article by blind photographer
We can let events get the best of us, like
that "poor me" feeling
when we begin losing our sight, or we can
make lemonade out of those
pesky
lemons.
The following article is one about making
lemonade. No, I'm not
suggesting that we all rush out and buy a
camera. But we can stop
and look at those things that interest us.
And we can explore ways
of modifying them so we can have that
feeling of accomplishment that
the
author expresses.
Carl Jarvis
*****
I'm a legally blind photographer. Here's how
modern technology makes
that possible.
by
Tammy Ruggles
on July 13, 2015
I was declared legally blind 14 years ago,
at the age of 40. I lost
my driver's license and my social work
position, for which I had
earned a bachelor's and master's. It was my
chosen profession, and I
didn't give it up lightly. When it
disappeared, so did some of my
confidence and sense of identity. What was I
to call myself if not a
social worker?
I ended up becoming a photographer.
The words "legally blind photographer" don't
sound like they should
exist together. Indeed, until recently I
didn't think this path was
available to me.
I'd always loved taking pictures, ever since
I was a little girl,
snapping shots of my family and pets with
the Kodak and Polaroid
cameras my mother always had around.
The author at age 5. (Tammy Ruggles)
But I was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a
progressive blinding
disease that deteriorates the retinas over
time. And with retinitis
pigmentosa comes night blindness, which
meant I couldn't see in a
darkroom to use the chemicals and develop
photos, nor could I read
the settings on a camera to shoot manually -
all major problems in
the era before digital photography.
So as a teenager I decided, regretfully, to
put my love of
photography in a box and leave it alone.
I didn't feel bitter about it. It was just
another adjustment I had
to make given the vision problem I had.
The miracle of the digital camera
My condition didn't deter me from enjoying
photography in my mind. I
read about photographers like Alfred
Stieglitz and Ansel Adams, and
daydreamed about the kind of pictures I
would make if I could - not
family snapshots with a disposable camera,
but those on the fine
art, creative side of photography.
Maybe a mountain, or a snow-covered field,
or an unusually shaped tree.
Definitely landscapes, because I'd grown up
with rural scenery all
around me.
Then, in 2013, after I could no longer
drive, practice social work,
or sketch drawings, I decided to turn my
dream of being a
photographer into a reality.
I had heard so much about how easy
point-and-shoot digital cameras
were, and I wanted to try one.
I still have some vision. "Legally blind"
doesn't mean completely blind.
Each person's experience is different, but
for me it means that
everything I see is extremely blurry - oddly
enough, like a camera
lens that is turned so far out of focus that
you can't distinguish a
person from a tree, or see where steps begin
and end, or where the
restroom door is, or what a person's
features look like. I see the
general blurry shape of things, and the
closer I am to something,
the better I can determine what it is.
I still have some vision. Everything I see
is very blurry - oddly
enough, like an out-of-focus camera lens.
When the camera arrived in the mail, it sat
for days unopened. I was
afraid of what people might think or say: "A
legally blind
photographer?"
The question I asked myself.
I lost social work. This would be just
another thing to lose.
Self-doubt crept in.
But the idea wouldn't leave me alone. And
so, with a little nudge
from my son - he actually took the first
picture - I picked up the
camera and walked around my backyard with
it, snapping the shutter
just to see what I could capture.
When I transferred the images to my 47-inch
monitor, I was amazed at
what I couldn't see in my own backyard, but
what my camera could:
purplish blueberries
in some brush. Wild pumpkins at the edge of
the woods. Individual
brown leaves on a tree (it was fall of that
year).
(Tammy Ruggles)
Not only could I take the kind of pictures
I'd always wanted to
take, I could see things with my camera that
I couldn't see without
it, like it's a second set of eyes. A double
gift.
I didn't need a darkroom, because images are
"developed" inside the
camera.
I didn't need to read the settings, because
I had the camera set on
auto.
How I work
I take most of my photos outside, in black
and white - I see best in
contrast, plus I've always admired the
classic black-and-white style.
Sometimes I
move up close to something of interest while
walking, hold the
camera about three or four inches away from
it, and snap the shutter.
(Tammy Ruggles)
Other times, I literally point randomly in
the direction of blurry
hills and vague shapes of trees, or whatever
is out there in the
world, and take a picture.
(Tammy Ruggles)
With landscapes and nature, my vision
doesn't have to be perfect. I
can be abstract and make mistakes.
(Tammy Ruggles)
People are more challenging to photograph. I
can't tell if someone
is looking at the camera, or if I'm cutting
off heads, or centering,
or if the lighting is right or wrong. I can
capture someone in a
general way, or a natural way, or in a
candid shot, but doing formal
portraits in a studio isn't for me.
I've tried it, but you need better vision to
do it well.
Then comes the heart of my work: I take my
camera home to my large
monitor to see what I've captured. There's a
photography term called
"the decisive moment."
It means knowing when to snap the shutter at
the perfect second. My
decisive moments come after I've taken the
pictures, when I make my
selections on my big screen. I'm often
surprised at the accidental
pictures, like a bird perched in a tree, or
power lines that make
for an abstract composition.
(Tammy Ruggles)
I delete many more photos than I keep, and
the ones I keep are the
ones I can see best -high contrast, simple
composition, and subjects
I can make out fairly well.
I've never had formal photography classes,
but I do use the art
education I've had in the past, as well as
my years of sketching. I
also learn from my favorite photography
"mentors" online, Ted Forbes
and Ibarionex Perello, who both teach the
art of photography.
How my low vision affects my art - for the
better
If my vision condition is an asset to me as
a photographer, it's in
that it's helped define my style. I don't
try to set up a photo or
have any preconceived notions about what the
picture should look like.
I don't fret over how a shot should look
beforehand.
I don't compare notes with other
photographers with full vision,
because I already know that their approaches
and techniques are
different
from mine.
They use a viewfinder, and can see details
in the subject,
background, and environment they're
shooting. They may adjust
settings to their taste.
I don't worry
about how other photographers work; I'm just
happy to have found a
way to do my own work with a camera.
I can see things with my camera that I can't
see without it, like
it's a second set of eyes
I don't agonize over my art. I snap
pictures, then choose the ones I
like.
If I don't have any from the day's shooting
that I like, it's okay.
I can always take another picture. And when
the day comes that I
can't take pictures this way anymore,
because my vision has
deteriorated so much, then I will find a way
for that to be okay,
too, because I have a collection of photos
that I'm happy with.
I'd like to think that my photography is
pretty or interesting, but
I can never really be sure unless someone
tells me. I rely on
people's reactions.
It helps me to know how the photo makes
others feel. I've had
reactions ranging from "bleak and dreary" to
"beautiful." I accept
all of them, because I feel honored to be
able to take photos. I've
learned that it's hard to stifle creativity,
and that there is more
than one way to express yourself
artistically.
I've learned that with the right technology
and a shift in
perspective, people can do things they
thought impossible.
Tammy Ruggles is a fine-art photographer in
Kentucky. You can find
more of her work at her website.
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