[Ohio-talk] BLIND photographer captures heartwarming images of his nonverbal autistic twin sons in order to truly 'connect' with the pair

[Deborah Kendrick]

Greetings, all,

This is an amazing story that I know you will enjoy reading.  

It also reminds me that you won't want to miss the presentation at
convention by our very own Christopher Sabine on a condidtion that combines
autism and visual impairment.  

Chris has his own business, consulting with families who experience this
condition.  He also chairs Cincinnati's membership committee and, as of
yesterday, is our new secretary.  

Read on and prepare to be amazed by one mor blind individual and his family.

Deborah

 

BLIND photographer captures heartwarming images of his nonverbal 
autistic twin sons in order to truly 'connect' with the pair

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3317809/BLIND-photographer-capture
s-heartwarming-images-nonverbal-autistic-twin-sons-order-truly-connect-pair.
html

Bruce Hall, of Santa Ana, California, was declared legally blind 
after he was born with an underdeveloped optic nerve
Over the past 14 years, he has taken 150,000 photos of his sons, 
Jack and James, as a way to bond with them
The stunning shots are part of Bruce's book about autism, which he 
co-wrote with his wife, Valerie

By Emily James For Dailymail.com

Published: 18:09 EST, 13 November 2015 | Updated: 18:30 EST, 13 November 
2015

{Some texts are photo captions.}

A legally blind photographer has debuted a striking series of photos of 
his twin sons, who both suffer from nonverbal autism, in an effort to 
raise awareness about the boys' condition.

Bruce Hall, whose work has been featured in National Geographic and in 
numerous museum exhibitions across the world, was born with an 
underdeveloped optic nerve, which means he can only see objects when 
they are a few inches from his face.

Although Bruce, of Santa Ana, California, specializes in underwater 
photographer, his latest project focuses on his twin sons, Jack and 
James, and their experience with autism over the past 14 years of their 
lives.

Stunning: Bruce Hall, a legally blind photographer from California, 
debuted a striking series of photos of his twin sons, James and Jack, 
who both suffer from nonverbal autism. Above, Jack finds comfort in the 
water

Laughter: Since Bruce can't communicate with his sons, who are now 14, 
he took their photos as a way to bond with them. He is releasing the 
pictures in a book to raise awareness about their condition

In their book, Immersed: Our Experience With Autism, Bruce and his wife 
Valerie shares photos of the boys throughout their lives and detail 
their sons' struggles with communication and social interaction.

Bruce, who holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from University of 
California, Los Angeles, said he began taking photos of the kids when 
they were toddlers in order to get closer to them, since they were 
unable to speak.

'I do this to look at them... I followed them into their space, and 
these chance encounters opened up an entirely new perspective on my 
photography and this project,' he told The Mighty.

'So much of what's gone on over the last 14 years has been so chaotic, 
so photography has been a way to look at them and gaze into their eyes,' 
the photographer added.

Dad and the boys: Bruce says he has taken 150,000 photos of his sons, 
Jack and James. The pictures are featured in Bruce and his wife 
Valerie's book, Immersed: Our Experience With Autism

Playing around: Bruce, who was born with an underdeveloped optic nerve, 
can only see objects close up. He uses his photography to see the boys 
more clearly by zooming in on the pictures

Close-up: James uses his face and body to express himself since he 
cannot communicate

Water lovers: Bruce says James, and especially Jack, find comfort and 
peace when they are in the water

Many of the photos in the book are underwater shots of Jack, who finds 
comfort and solace in the water.

'It seems like the water is the place where Jack seems the most calm and 
content,' he said.
'In some of the those photos, that look on his face, you don't often see 
that. It's a way for us to connect, and I want to share it with other 
people.'

Bruce went on to share of the project: 'As a whole, the narrative 
describes the journey our family took during the early years of the 
boys' lives, from the time before the diagnosis to their tenth birthday.

'It honestly describes the struggles and sorrows, as well as the courage 
and laughter, that accompanied those most difficult years.'

He said that life was very difficult for the family before the boys were 
diagnosed with autism, and that she and his wife still constantly worry 
about their futures.

Silly: Jack smiles and jumps around in his bathing suit in this sweet 
picture

Striking: Bruce says the boys were not diagnosed with autism until age 
10. Since then, things have gotten better for the family, but he and his 
wife still worry about their futures constantly

Beautiful: Bruce shares of the photos, 'It's a way for us to connect, 
and I want to share it with other people'

Amazing: The photographer, who has started a Kickstarter in order to 
fund the publishing of his book, said he hopes his photos will inspire 
people to be kinder and more accepting of one another

'It is estimated that 25 per cent of people with ASD, Autism Spectrum 
Disorder, are non-speaking and cannot speak for themselves,' shared Bruce.

'People like our sons are often underrepresented in the media, and we 
want to give them a voice in the discussion. I want the public to think 
about how these people are taken care of, and that they deserve 
everyone's consideration,' he said of his book.

Bruce, who has started a Kickstarter in order to fund the publishing of 
his book, said he hopes his photos will inspire people to be kinder and 
more accepting of one another.

'Societies will be judged on how they treat their most vulnerable 
people,' he said, adding: 'It's in everyone's best interest to be good 
to one another, because if something happens to you, you hope that 
people will want to help you or that you will be treated humanely.'

Read more:
Blind Photographer Gives Intimate Look at Raising Twins With Autism | 
The Mighty
Immersed: Our Experience With Autism by Bruce Hall and Valerie Hall - 
Kickstarter
Bruce Hall: using photography to see.


C Associated Newspapers Ltd