The Seeing with Photography Collective is a group of photographers based in New York City who are visually impaired, sighted and totally blind. Coming from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, we share an awareness of sight loss, along with the determination to dialogue and integrate our images into a more universal context. Sighted assistants, or members, focus and compose the view frame directed by the blind artist. Then, in a darkened room, we leave the camera's shutter open as we slowly paint our sitter with a small flashlight ...human scaled exposures, lasting many minutes, rather than the instant shutter click we typically hear. Luminous distortions, blurred or glowing forms result from the technique, not digital altering. The nature of our visual limitations can provoke any viewer or perceiver of these portraits...Is less, more? What is seeing? What does one choose to see?





Our images are becoming more widely known, and generating curiosity and questions. I am a sight impaired member of this group of artists. People want to further their understanding of the creative dynamics involved with Blind Photography, maybe some of my images here might illuminate aspects of this, but I am just one artist among many in our group. Currently our group is creating it's own webpage so there will be additional artists and views to explore online regarding blindness,vision loss and photography. Find SWPC's link at the last page here.





I think the images themselves, whether in a gallery, published or described in detail to a sightless perceiver, can speak powerfully enough to be appreciated without any additional knowledge that the photographers are blind or sight impaired.





Sight has this established and presumed role in Photography, and nudging this cozy niche raises eyebrows. I am honored to be a part of Seeing With Photography. I am so proud of our wrestling matches with definition.





Here is a small selection of my own work. Sometimes I was assisted by others taking direction about the lighting from me, as well as being focused by others with viable sight, but always framed and aligned to my artistic concept. - Steven Erra







Above - Maria, circa 2002