Blind with light

In the field of photography,the fundamentals of which is based on the science of light,Bhowmick was the first Indian who encouraged visually challenged persons to look beyond their dark lives and create images out of memory or through the perception of touch,sound and warmth. This year,the Blind with Camera initiative will see an extension of various creative experiments to ensure that these ‘mental images’ of visually challenged persons do not just remain momentary triumphs,but continue to grow and encourage sighted and visually impaired persons to create an interactive social platform and create revenue and job opportunities. As the projects in which blind persons are trained to use a camera continue,the museums that showcase their products and make it accessible to the blind community aim to achieve a full circle.

Under the umbrella of Blind with Camera,Bhowmick works on a concept called ‘train the trainer’ where sighted persons are encouraged to “show patience and respect” to the visually challenged and participate in the journey of clicking pictures.

“Sometimes,a picture is not the only fascinating aspect,but the journey that the blind photographer is undergoing to achieve it makes it beautiful,” says Bhowmick. “The workshop aims to create partnership between a sighted and a visually challenged person.”

In a class atmosphere that goes for six hours,Bhowmick says,the first two days can be very challenging. “Questions are posed,mostly which makes one think; at times over an image forgotten or an image from a recently watched movie. The idea is to start conversation between the two groups,” he says.

The training begins following this session,where the visually challenged is explained about the concept of camera. “If I ask a blind person to give his subject a handshake and pat his shoulder,he gets the idea of a subject’s frame. And with the audio commentary supplied by a sighted person,he can create an image.”

While his project to get visually challenged persons saw huge expansion after several cities adopted it,Bhowmick felt the need to create more catalysts through ‘train the trainer’. “I felt that we needed to have more people to take it forward for the movement to really grow.”

Another initiative that Bhowmick is currently experimenting includes the ‘blindfold’ photography,which aims at sensitising schoolchildren and various other groups towards the blind.

“This is what I call role reversal,where the blind people who now know to operate the camera and image creativity guide the sighted persons in taking pictures. The visually sighted person will be blindfolded throughtout the session and has to rely on his memory and his blind instructor.”

“We have done this at school as an experiment and will now take it forward. The idea is to sensitise individuals towards the blind from their very youth so they grow to understand them better as they grow.” Most of Bhowmick’s initiatives are successful.

This weekend,he selected 10 low-vision and blind persons from Goa,who have lost eyesight later in their lives,and urged them to create “mental images” using old techniques,manual pinhole cameras and develop them using old methods.

The outcome of all these projects continues to be turned into art works,which can be experienced by the visually challenged community. “In India,museums and exhibitions are for visually sighted people. This touch and feel project ensures photographs taken by the blind are processed,sketched and raised on a flat surface and designed. It also ensures that the works are accessible to the community.” Bhowmick says as a revenue model,it creates oppurtunities and access to art.

“Diminished sense does not mean diminished life and these experiments are used to bridge the gap between the visually challenged persons and the sighted.”