dinsdag 15 mei 2012

Open Your Eyes - 1


The beginning
It all started with a picture. Call it a lucky shot, call it inspiration, call it whatever you want to call it. There's more behind the picture than I knew when I shot it. There's more behind the girl than we can see in the picture, though the picture itself gives away some clues.
This project will be about Rebecca, a girl who's currently blind but whose vision has been there till her 19th. She knows the colors, the forms and when you describe things well, she can actually see it. The idea behind the project is to open the eyes of the ones who need it. To inspire people who are open to it. To give hope to those who despair. The result of it will be available as a book, though I still don't know how big and what price it will be. Doesn't matter for now, the project has just begun. I will keep you informed about the progress.


Guided by the Blind
She's blind, but yet can show others how grateful they should be for the small things in life. She's an example how you can enjoy life being optimistic. How you should focus on the things you can do instead of  complaining about the things you can't.
Thanks to social media I was able to have contact with her. Actually it went quite fast! Went to the Elf Fantasy Fair on Sunday and forgot to ask for her name. I was totally impressed by the forces of nature and the art called Kendo. I've never experienced the combination of hail and sunshine while sitting in the Castle garden watching a Kendo workshop with a blind girl. Some things are so special, they make you forget the basic things. Thanks to social media I was able to find out who she was on the Monday. I sent her a message and after that I had to wait.. Questions came into my head. How often would a blind girl check her Facebook? Would she check it herself or would she let others read it for her? After a couple of days I decided to just mail her instead of waiting on a reply on Facebook. I found out that's she's quite an active mailer.
She's an example for me how optimism and positivity can make your life one great happy period. If you can't do what you always used to do, find new things that you'd like to do. The goal of this project is to inspire people. To give them hope or to open their eyes.

This project is a cooperation between Rebecca and Seth.
Website Rebecca: http://www.fluisterboeken.nl/
Website Seth: http://www.seth-photography.com