[Nfb-krafters-korner] Blind Photographers, Digital Cameras and Knifty Knitter

Mon May 9 13:59:32 UTC 2011

This is wonderful to read, thanks so much for sharing with us. I LOVE 
reading what other people with sight loss are experiencing, and how they 
adapt to continue or begin to make art and do crafts. You are an inspiration 
to me, by reading what you do, I am motivated, too. This use of photography 
is a way of us sharing our lives with others, as well as putting our own 
memories and imagination down for ourselvs, too. Thanks. Lynda River Woman
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lindy van der Merwe" <stephlin at iafrica.com>
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2011 9:41 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Blind Photographers,Digital Cameras and 
Knifty Knitter


> Hi there,
> I find this subject very interesting. To answer your question: I was 
> partially sighted until 25 or so and then lost all remaining sight. I have 
> always loved photographs and they are honestly one of the things I miss a 
> lot. Anyway, a year or two back I started using my cellphone to take pics, 
> mainly of my children as babies and now, toddlers. No, I can't see the 
> pictures at all, but what happened is that people, and later I did it 
> myself, started naming the pics for me. So, I'd have a pic called "Stehan 
> in blue baby-gro with stripes", or "Zahn sitting in our garden on a 
> sunshine day", or "S with a sly smile, looking at his birthday cake", etc. 
> etc.
> If you use your cellphone and you can rename a picture to describe the 
> picture immediately, you can then store them and group them together 
> later.
> If you can't name them immediately or if you take many pics, you will have 
> to ask someone to describe them to you or rename them for you.
> I have a folder on my pc called memory box. In this folder I keep all the 
> pics with their descriptions as their names. One can also, with some 
> programs, add notes to a picture, so you can write a little story even.
> Even though one can't see the photo, to me, it is like I can relive that 
> moment by knowing the image is there when I read the description.
> I agree totally that you don't need to see what you are taking a picture 
> of. You can, these days, take great pics by just aiming the camera in the 
> general direction of something, be it a landscape or a building. I have 
> taken some very interesting pictures and what makes things interesting is 
> the comments of people when they see them. I can sort of relive that scene 
> through their eyes long after I took the pic.
> Two other things I'd like to mention is: There are cellphones that have a 
> viewing area at the back that let's the person who is being photographed 
> see him or herself. So, if you stand a few feet away from someone, he or 
> she can tell you exactly what you will be snapping, if it is centered, too 
> high or too low, etc. etc.
> Also, I know many people use sound instead of pictures, recording whatever 
> is interesting or special to them. With the newer phones a blind person 
> can also take videos fairly successfully, adding sound to what would only 
> be images with the press of a button.
> I also like to arrange things sometimes, perhaps a special baby blanket 
> with my daughter's favorite toys and take a pic of them. I will first 
> arrange everything and then ask someone if they can see them all, if there 
> is someone available. Otherwise I take the pic and ask someone later. One 
> can easily erase the pics that come out blank or out of focus and keep 
> those that are good. Probably only 10% of the pics I take are ever blank 
> or so out of focus I have to delete them.
> Kind regards.
> Lindy
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]" <Terry.Powers at nih.gov>
> To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'" 
> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 09, 2011 3:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Blind Photographers, Digital Cameras 
> and Knifty Knitter
>
>
>>I have a codac easy shair.  It has a feature for close up and far away.  I 
>>am not trying to stir up trouble, but the comment by the blind fotographer 
>>using is cane, is almost illogical.  I was at National, the year we were 
>>on the river, with the nice walk along the river.  I have some nice 
>>pictures I took of the hotel and the river.  I was near the railing, 
>>turned towards the hotel and took a few distant shots.  I surely did not 
>>tutch that huge building with my cane.  I used my cane to find my barings 
>>as to where I was from the railing, to get a good shot.  I have some 
>>beautiful shots of lake frunts, just by looking at what I wanted to take a 
>>picture of. Lifting the camera to eye level and snapping a shot.  You do 
>>not havve to be able to see your field through the lenze to take a good 
>>shot.  I have a girl in my chapter, who is totally blind, I think, and if 
>>she can take pictures, then why cann't  I.  I used to think it was crazy 
>>for a blind person to take pictures.  I even have a digital photo frame to 
>>enlarge pictures.  I just have to learn how to use it.  It will enlarge 
>>pictures from your camera's storage card.  I now have all my craft 
>>pictures on cd.
>> I can see this as an enjoyment for a partial, but how can a total enjoy 
>> it if they can not see the pictures that they took.
>> Terry Powers
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Karen [mailto:butterfly05 at earthlink.net]
>> Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2011 11:18 PM
>> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Blind Photographers, Digital Cameras and 
>> Knifty Knitter
>>
>> Hi, Does anyone have information about purchasing an easy-to-use digital 
>> camera? Is it possible to complete basic tasks such as selecting the 
>> needed image format and quality, manipulating the photo size and 
>> determining if the picture is oriented correctly? An article was posted 
>> here recently about a blind photographer and it got me thinking about the 
>> equipment he might be using. I'm interested in discovering the most 
>> affordable and accessible options.
>>
>> Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my question about the paper 
>> cutter. I found one that has a blade that cuts on the edge which allows 
>> me to fold the paper where I need a cut, line it up and mark the cutter 
>> with dymo tape. It has a finger guard and is working out well.
>>
>> To everyone who has helped me with the Knifty Knitter, I am almost 
>> finished with my first skein. I have made four baby washcloths. They are 
>> not perfect but after several startup disasters and completely unraveling 
>> two that were nearly finished, they are usable. It is amazing how easily 
>> all that work will unravel. It's all part of the learning process I 
>> guess.
>>
>> My aunt just sent me a big box of yarn saying my grandmother would be 
>> thrilled I was taking up knitting and would want me to have it. I gather 
>> she has quite a supply of yarn she and my grandmother have bought over 
>> the years. This may be the motivation I need to attempt a larger project. 
>> The e stitch I can do now but I would like to learn the knit and pearl.
>>
>> Hope everyone had a good weekend,
>>
>> Karen
>>
>>
>>
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>
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