Bachelor of Arts in Photography:

1
Bachelor of Arts in Photography
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology for Photographers
2
Objectives

• Define assistive technology
• Discuss issues for photographers with
  disabilities
• Learn about disabled photographers and how they
  work
• Learn about the technologies disabled
  photographers use

3
Assistive Technology Definition
Assistive Technology products can enable people
with disabilities to accomplish daily living
tasks, assist them in communication, education,
work or recreation activities, in essence, help
them achieve greater independence and enhance
their quality of life. Assistive Technology
devices can help improve physical or mental
functioning, overcome a disorder or impairment,
help prevent the worsening of a condition,
strengthen a physical or mental weakness, help
improve a person's capacity to learn, or even
replace a missing limb. - www.rehabtool.com
4
Discussion
In groups discuss what issues photographers with
the following disabilities face?

• Blind
• Mobility
• Parkinson's Disease

5
Photographers with Mobility Disabilities
Loren Worthington

• Wheelchair user
• Company manager
• Photographer
• Runs a website that photographs wheelchair
  athletes
• http//wheelchairphotography.com/

6
Loren Worthington
7
Loren's Photography Kit
Mount 'n Mover wheelchair mounting system

• Replaces a tripod
• Easy to position
• Custom memory locks
• Easily adjusts

8
Loren's Photography Kit
'Quad-pod'

• designed for able-bodied photographers
• Adapted by Loren
• Used as a knee pod
• Can hold the camera with one hand

9
Loren's Photography Kit
Telestick

• Loren uses this to pick up batteries, lenses, etc
  from the floor

10
Mobility Assistive Technology
Camera Switches

• hands-free camera shutter release switch
• used by skydivers to disabled
• Tongue switches are also available
• Developed by Conceptus
• Originally marketed at skydivers, now popular
  with disabled and able bodied photographers

11
Photographers with Parkinson's Disease

• Parkinson's Disease can make photography a
  challenge
• There are tools that can be used to assist the
  photographer

12
Photographers with Parkinson's Disease
But some disabled photographers don't need much
assistive technology to make art. These pictures
were taken by Alan Babbit who was diagnosed with
Parkinson's Disease.
Tremor Enhanced Photography
13
Alan Babbitt
Since the late 1960s, ?Ive been doing my own
brand of fine art photography?and its always
been a great source of joy for me. ?Drop me
almost anywhere theres nice light?and I can
happily get lost for hours in the visuals around
me. That began to change when the movement
disorder?known as Parkinson's Disease (PD)
arrived,?like a loud, uninvited house guest who
won't ever leave. First I got a hand tremor.  Oh,
great.  Shakiness. ?Just what a photographer
needs. Then, my photography muse, whod been with
me for years,?took off without leaving a
forwarding address. ?The bitch!  I soon lost
interest in the whole thing. ?Rarely venturing
out to shoot and bored with the results.?Darkness
filled my viewfinder. Then one night,?on the Las
Vegas Strip of all places,?I began to see the
light! And there, before me, appeared a new,
improved muse,?who leaned in and
whispered,??"Silly boy! Don't fight it - use
it!" Doh!
I began to let the tremor have its way as
I clicked the shutter.
From http//www.abproductions.com/movement_disord
er/movement_disorder_ss.html
14
Assistive Technology

• Many devices from the following
  manufacturers/researchers
• ORCCA Technology, Inc
• Conceptus
• JOBY
• RERC

15
Visually Impaired Photographers

• a large LCD screen

But can someone who is fully blind be a
successful photographer?
16
Blind Photographers

• Use four other senses
• Imagination
• Learn photography basics
• Use the heat of the sun, smells, noises to base
  their
• shots i.e. the smell of a flower
• Done to express themselves, document their lives
• Share memories with others

17
Blind Photographers
www.theblindphotographer.com
Watch how an award winning blind photographer
manages with his disability
http//current.com/items/88831039_blind-photograph
ers.htm
18
Blind Photographers
Blind photographers rely on their senses and
experiences to take photos, but some people also
use technology to help them with their art.

• VoiceOver on iPhone and Mac can help with editing
• CameraBag does automatic editing
• vOICe app for phones analyses the light and plays
  different sounds depending on the brightness
• However, most blind photographers use their brain
  to form a mental composite image

19
Summary

• Disabled photographers have the ability to become
  award winning and professional photographers.
• These individuals can use existing technology and
  adapt it to their needs
• Or they can use specially made assistive
  technology to practice their art