My mother-in-law started to lose her sight and for the first time I really had to imagine what the day to day complications were. I was aware that the equipment and aids that are now available were not easily accessible to her because she wasn’t familiar with the technology and she was therefore very isolated by this disability. Studying for an MA at Arts University Bournemouth my personal experience led me to research and produce this documentary project on visual impairment which I called  -  ‘LOOK’.

The Dorset Blind Association introduced me to a number of people with visual impairments who were interested in the project and who were not only willing to collaborate with me, but when necessary, to ‘model’ or re-enact various scenarios they had encountered.

Photographically the challenges of this project required sensitivity and some very different skills to my other work. I needed to spend more time in discussions and in planning the shots. The desire to show the positive approaches to tackling life with sight loss became very obvious. I wanted these photographs to make people who came to the exhibition not only to ‘LOOK” but also to think. The pictures depict activities that we are all very familiar with, but when you try to imagine achieving these without sight you understand a bit more of the courage and determination that is necessary.