To the general population, the most obvious manifestations of this genetic disorder are extremely fair skin, light eyes (usually blue), and yellowish-white hair.

For me, however,  the ever present reminder of my albinism is that I am legally blind.

With albinism, the retina does not develop correctly before birth causing a “mis-routing” of the optic nerve to the brain.  Also, the iris, the colored area in the center of the eye, has little to no pigment to screen out stray light coming into the eye. (Light normally enters the eye only through the pupil, the dark opening in the center of the iris, but in albinism light can pass through the iris as well.) This causes people with albinism to have photophobia – a sensitivity to light, not a fear of taking pictures!  Since, literally, photography means writing with light, it is funny to me that someone who is extremely oversensitive to light is drawn to photography, an art and science that relies heavily on the artist’s intimate relationship with light.

The essential purpose of photography is to communicate with others through pictures rather than words.

For those of us who look at the world with much less than perfect eyes, communicating in such a way can feel quite scary, if not impossible.  For this reason,  the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  conjures up a completely different word list than it does for the sighted world – words like  “I don’t see a bird up in that tree.” or “Is there really a bumblebee in the center of that flower?” or “What is that on the top of that building?”. However, when these same deficient eyes are behind a camera looking through its lens, the world becomes a new and bigger place.  I can see not only the bird in the tree but count the eggs in her nest; i realize the definition in the black and yellow stripes on the bumblebee’s back; and I can now worry about the man working atop the skyscraper.  All these details that so often elude me are now mine to savor because the lens of the camera becomes an extension of my own eyes.  I have to admit that there have been times when I have been so mesmerized by what I was able to see through my camera lens that I have forgotten to click the shutter and actually take the picture.

The greatest obstacles to me becoming a photographer were first believing that I could indeed see enough to take reasonably good pictures and secondly,  proving that to others.  It is hard for some people to believe that the visual perspective of a sight impaired photographer is worth sharing.  It is.

If I am lucky, others will experience the beauty and power of my photos before they realize that i am visually impaired; the images then can speak for themselves.  If not, I find myself fielding questions such as, “You aren’t really a photographer, are you?  How can you possibly take pictures if you can’t see?”  These difficult and sometimes hurtful questions are tempered by the many positive comments offered when the photographs are allowed to communicate themselves.

I was recently told by a woman battling cancer that she has had this photo on her computer screen throughout her two year fight.  She said that, for her, it represents an image of holding on to life.

If I can take a photo that gives someone the strength to hang on and fight when the battle seems unbeatable then all of the insensitive and negative words that have been cast my way are quickly erased.

Being a photographer, or for that matter any kind of artist, relies as much, if not more, on the “inner eye” as it does the physical eye.  The inner eye knows that there is something more out there than the finite shapes and colors that we see most of the time.  For the visually impaired photographer, the camera creates a pathway back and forth between the inner eye and the physical eye.  Truthfully, I’m not sure that this relationship is really any different for a sighted photographer; perhaps those of us who can’t rely on the guidance of our physical eyes to see all that is around us are just more keenly aware of the possibilities given to us by our cameras.

Admittedly, even as the one who takes the picture, I often don’t realize fully each image’s magnitude  until I look at it on the computer where I have the capability to zoom and enlarge.  Many times I have found myself saying, “I didn’t realize that was the picture I was taking.”. Most of the time this is a positive thing.

When I took this picture, I saw the golden leaf standing against the green grass.  It was not until I saw it on the computer that I realized that it has a face; It looks alive despite the fact that it has fallen from it’s tree.

Being a visually impaired photographer comes with challenges, but none that can’t be overcome.  Like with most challenges that I face because of my eyes, perseverance, patience, and belief in myself have and will continue to be my constant companions.

Whether blind or sighted, every photographer takes his or her share of “bad” pictures, but when you see an image that you have captured that so vividly reveals the seemingly infinite colors and shapes of a bird’s feathers or the deep lines of age and experience in an artist’s hands, the feeling is the same for all of us; you know that you are a photographer and that a picture, your picture, is indeed worth a thousand words.

Kris Baker is a guest contributor from CaptureYour365 Community.

I live in Dallas, Texas with my husband, two dogs and a cat.  I have two adult daughters.  My day (and many nights) job is teaching music theory and composition at the community college level.  I also enjoy performing with several local ensembles as a clarinetist and singer.  I was introduced to photography when I was ten as part of a Girl Scout merit badge.  I liked it back then, but other things took hold of my time.  Unfortunately, when my girls were growing up, I did not take nearly as many photos as I now wish that I had.  I have rediscovered my love for photography in the last few years.  I have so much to learn and am grateful for the opportunity to do it here in the midst of such a wonderfully supportive community.  I write and post my photos on my blog All In A Day.

Let’s get to know Kim!

What sparked your interest in photography?

I really can’t remember.  I’ve loved TAKING pictures for as long as I can remember … all the way back to the film days with the cute little Minolta my parents gave me one Christmas.  I have scrapbooks in a magnetic album (gasp) filled with pictures from my high school days with words cut from magazines added for effect.

As I had children and started scrapbooking in earnest, I saw all the amazing photos others scrapbooked and wished mine were better. So, I bought a better camera, my first DSLR.  Not surprisingly, my photography didn’t improve.  I spent about 5 years on auto with no change in my photography skills.  When I stumbled upon Capture Your 365 in January of 2012 and took my first class with Katrina, my interest in MAKING a picture really took off, and since that time I have been actively interested in learning and enjoying photography.

What camera do you use?

Nikon D7000

What is your favorite lens?

No doubt about it, my Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4. It sat in a box for 2 years before Katrina talked me into using it!  :)  I love, love, love wide open shots with blurry backgrounds and bokeh.  (In fairness to all the other wonderful lenses out there, this lens is the only one I own that can really go wide open, so it does have an unfair advantage over my others!)

What makes you happiest about your photography?

So much.  It makes me super happy to attempt a certain shot and see exactly what I wanted on the back of my camera.  Sharing with and learning from all the friends I have made through this hobby makes my heart sing.  Having someone see something in one of my photos that I didn’t notice but is absolutely right about that moment makes me smile big.

I love capturing the little things about my life today that would otherwise be lost in the big picture of my life.  What makes me happiest about my photography is the way it has changed my view of the world.  I have a better appreciation for “the ordinary” and the “imperfect.” I am more aware, more accepting, more present, and more positive because of my photography, and THAT makes me so very happy.

What is your favorite class at Capture Your 365?

That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child!!!  Impossible!   I feel like Exposure took my photography to a whole new level, but I wouldn’t have understood a word of it if I hadn’t taken Capture Your Life Through The Lens first.  And the Inspired class is, well, INSPIRING.  The weekly inspiration emails are awesome and are the first thing I open every Friday!  The Capture Your Holidays Through the Lens class is fun (especially if you love bokeh as much as I do!) and is a perfect class to pair up with Ali Edward’s December Daily project.   They are all excellent … probably because they all have such an amazing teacher!

You can follow Kim’s work in her gallery at Capture Your 365.

32 days of Android + iPhone photo challenges, daily inspiration, and app reviews

Excited doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling right now! I’ve been waiting to share this with you…and finally I can! Can you imagine a month long class with 32 people who take AMAZING phone photos?! I  am completely honored to be contributing to this class along with a slew of creative women including Ali Edwards, Tracey, Clark, and Cathy Zielske!  This is going to be a blast!

Don’t miss the introductory price! 

How about some of those “official”  details!

Need summer photo ideas or help improving your iPhone photography? Spend this July taking amazing photos with your iPhone or Android camera in The Phone Photography Project.

In this month-long workshop, you’ll learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you as you document your summer adventures—with help from 32 incredible instructors. On top of daily smartphone photography challenges, you’ll also enjoy:

• dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
  
• a handbook of 60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money*
  
• dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
  
• interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers (including me!) and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
  
• giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!

Watch The Video!

To support Healthy Vision Month, we are moving our lenses in the direction of the things we love.

The CY365 Creative Team is a talented bunch of ladies! They are the creative minds behind the daily prompts. Each month they select from their favorite photos to create prompts to share with you. Here’s a little glimpse in to what drives their creative vision.

I hope you’ll join us this month in photographing your favorites. Post them to Instagram with the tag #eyelove to share with us. To show your support for Healthy Vision Month give them the #eyehealth tag!

Carol Elliott | Sunshine, photography, coffee, and family

I love the beautiful light and the natural beauty she captures in her photos.

Kelly Buss | Photography, goats, food, and sunsets

I love the love she has for her boys. She captures her everyday life details so beautifully.

Christi Myrup | Bon Jovi, Purple,  and butterflies

I love her creative crayon and colored pencil photos. Her clean backgrounds and her big heart shine through in her photos.

Deirdre Harger | Morning coffee, well-worn jeans, bare feet, and a good book

I love her dedication to her children. Her daily routines with her two active children are wonderfully documented.

Jeannie Thiessen | Cats, flowers, baking, family, and bokeh

I love every photo that she takes. Her attention to detail and her creative composition with everyday subjects. Wow!

What are your #eyeloves? Share in the comments below.

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I value my healthy vision. I’m sure you do too. This month our challenge list focuses on our health, our vision health and women’s health.

We are teaming with The National Eye Institute for Healthy Vision Month to bring focus to how important it is to care for our vision.

I know this all too well as a glasses wearing, nearsighted, limited vision photographer. (Did you know I only have clear vision from one eye?! Crazy, huh.) I’ve got to protect it, keep it healthy, and make sure I’m getting my  horrible not so bad dilated eye exam.

This month you’ll see #eyelove as a theme for our prompts. We’ll look at the eyeball (of course) and we’ll look at the things we love. I want to see your photos in the #CY365 group on Instagram. Tag them with #eyehealth to show your support for Healthy Vision! And if it’s something you LOVE, tag them with #eyelove.

And because May is just a pretty amazing month around here, we are going to add some more fun the week of May 12th through 18th. Did you know that it’s National Women’s Health Week?

Yep, we are getting healthy in May. We’ll be focusing our lenses on things we can do for OURSELVES! Yes. Not always so easy when we are juggling life’s challenges. We’ll turn our thoughts and our lenses towards activities that keep us healthy so we can continue to make (and photograph) our  memories!

I’m excited about a fun focus on HEALTH this month. I hope you are too!

Hanukkah My daughter (a.k.a. “the girl”), gazing at the lit menorah on the last night of Hanukkah.
December 27, 2011

What sparked your interest in photography?
I’ve always loved taking pictures. My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic (with the rotating cube flash) that my mom handed down to me.  I loved taking pictures of my friends and pets.  It was just fun to be able to capture what I saw, and have it appear on paper. As the years went on, I took more and more photos, documenting the important people and events in my life.

In high school, I was involved in theater, so I captured all of the backstage shenanigans. In college, I kept taking photos and ended up filling two photo albums of highlights. After college, I bought my first SLR (a Minolta), but never really learned to use it. Then, several years later, I bought my first digital point and shoot (a Sony Cybershot 3.2 MP camera). That’s when my photography really took off.  I think the freedom of virtually unlimited shooting allowed me to experiment and really enjoy the process of creating images, not just capturing them.

Strawberry We’ve eaten so many fresh strawberries – the grocery stores have had a great selection this spring. It’s been wonderful! I decided to grab the macro extension tubes and snap this one before eating it.
March 25, 2012

What camera do you use?
I shoot primarily with a Canon EOS 60D, but also use my iPhone 5 quite a bit. In addition, I have a waterproof point and shoot – a Fujifilm FinePix XP20 – for photographing beach and pool adventures.

What is your favorite lens?
My favorite lens is my Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3. It’s so versatile. Tamron advertises it as an all-in-one lens, and it truly is. Besides having a great zoom range, it has an ultra-wide angle, allowing me to get more in the frame with every shot. It makes taking group photos a breeze – I don’t have to stand a mile away to do it.

Flamingo How could I resist this bright flamingo sleepily playing peek-a-boo at the Milwaukee Zoo?
June 5, 2012

What makes you happiest about your photography?
I think what makes me happiest about my photography is when I create an image with that wow factor. Sometimes, I’m the one who says, “Wow,” when I open it up on the computer. Other times, a picture that I think is “just ok,” speaks to someone else. In either case, I feel like I’ve created something worthwhile when I can evoke a reaction with a photograph I’ve made.

Passé Despite the girl’s tearful protests that morning that she hates dance class, as usual, she loved every minute of it. Here she is, practicing her passé. I had this image printed on canvas, and it hangs in my daughter’s bedroom.
April 17, 2012

What is your favorite class at Capture Your 365?
I don’t know how I can pick a favorite class at Capture Your 365. Katrina makes every class an incredible learning experience (and I’ve taken them all – some more than once). My first class was Capture Your Holidays Through the Lens. In those two weeks, I went from not knowing how to do anything beyond Auto mode, to shooting in full manual mode. I haven’t looked back since. But, for anyone just starting to explore photography beyond the act of point and click, I’d say that Capture Your Life Through the Lens is THE class to take.

You can follow Deb’s photography at her Flickr photostream.  She blogs at A Bisel Dis… A Bisel Dat .

So how can you make it 365 days without losing your mind or making your family members hate you?

It’s good to have some creative ideas in your photograph bag of tricks.

Here are 10  Creative Go To Ideas from the CY365 Community.

1. Photograph Words On Signs

Viola’s Views – Overgrown

2. Play With Your Food

Jeannie Thiessen’s One Hundred

3. Photograph Shoes Without Feet

ZenJen’s – April Showers

4. Photograph Yourself

DasMike’s April 1st Foolish

5. Play A Game

PPierce83′s Play A Game

6. Play With Lego (They  Always Cooperate)

Deb Moran’s Lying In A Field Of Green

7. Photograph A Favorite Beverage

MandaKay’s cup of…

9. Buy Yourself Flowers And Then Photograph Them

We Grochy’s Color From The Garden

10. Photograph Pencils (Or Crayons or Markers)

Lauren G. Willis’ More Than One

What are your favorite go to ideas for success? Share in the comments below.

ISO 200 | 100mm | f/4.0 | 1/640 sec

Outside. A walk along the river. He didn’t want to go. But then he explored. He found sticks. He threw stuff in the river. He ran. And then he was done. I didn’t use the prompt today. Somedays just call for that.

ISO 1000 | 100mm | f/6.3 | 1/250 sec

My garden only has a few green things right now. Kale and Fennel. I picked them for dinner and placed them on the deck to take my photo. And the Pablo appeared. She loves my kale and thought she would help herself.

ISO 12,800 | 33mm | f/4.0 | 1/20 sec

Dinner out with Justin and Leslie. It was late. There wasn’t much light. But we were having so much fun. Laughing and enjoying each other. Somehow the evening became about taking photos of each other and altering them with goofy apps. Priceless. I cranked the ISO up on my dSLR and held it as steady as I could. And then I got lucky!