Blind Photographer (!): IPhone 3GS Is A “Remarkable Gift”
After professional photographer Alex Dejong lost his sight three years ago, he thought his days of taking and editing photos was over. But the iPhone 3GS’s VoiceOver feature, plus a few key apps, has given some of his abilities back.
Dejong’s field of vision isn’t totally black; he can distinguish light from dark, and had continued to take photos with the help of an editing assistant. But VoiceOver, which reads back anything displayed on the iPhone, has allowed him to use the (low-end, Dejong admits) camera and certain photo editing apps like Camerabag and TiltShift even without sight.
“With the iPhone and a lot of the photography apps that a lot of people are using, I have my entire workflow, and I can do it in five minutes,” Dejong said. “In this way, the iPhone is a remarkable gift. I’ve had it for three weeks now, and it has really opened up my world, apart from the photography.”
It’s a pretty interesting story, and Wired’s account goes into more depth with other blind photography techniques. I’d never really thought about blind photography before, but for someone like Dejong, for whom photography had been a vital part, I can see how VoiceOver and other new tools would be a godsend. [Wired]
- Next Post: Then And Now: Apple Computers »
- « Previous Post: Digital Cams Haven’t Caught Up To Film’s Resolution: Does It Matter?
Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@switchblade saints: A special kind of hell.
Alternate
i find it truly remarkable that he was able to still conduct his photography in light of his vision being impaired...
Good Job and Keep It Up
iKon.695
@bosskev:
LOL
iKon.695
@AlphaUltima: Err, 3 trillion? I don't think we spent that much on the war.
@bosskev: Ha, good one!
@mikeness: So you're saying that it was better with the old president not caring about money, basically throwing it out of the window, than with Obama cutting down on expenses in any possible way? Wow…
@bosskev: I approve of that burn.
just be glad he had a fancy job like photographer. if he worked at mcdonald's they wouldn't trust him with the deep fryer.
AlphaUltima
@mikeness: i don't see how you can mention obama's about money seeing how much we spent on the war. Just shows how cheap Americans really are when it comes to themselves.
AlphaUltima
@gemcosta: Yeah, and any hardcore gamer would say it's graphics are pitiful, and any audiophile would say it's music player is pitiful. Thank god no one really cares.
Brett Benedict
@KaemonKei: Sigh, I see where this is going.
Brett Benedict
@switchblade saints: ok, I'm going to hell.
@switchblade saints: or.."yo Alex, these all look great but you might want to take the lens cap off next time."
@bosskev: And now we're set for another 4 years with one who THINKS he has great vision but just ends up driving into trees.
KaemonKei
"ok Alex, move over there and I'll get a nice picture of you in front of that statue.
Ready.... say cheese....
Oh, let me take another one, it looks like you blinked on that.
ready say cheese......
oh, you blinked again. wait
Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't thinking."
@mikeness: Actually, I can relate. Every time I go walking through my Castro neighborhood, guys stare deeply at my pockets.
Of course, that could just be 'cuz I always keep a banana in there. Never know when you'll need a quick potassium pick-me-up.
@BoardShortin'_GitEmSteveDave: i see what you did there.
@PaddyDugan:
read the article
"After professional photographer Alex Dejong lost his sight three years ago, he thought his days of taking and editing photos was over."
michael haendler
@BoardShortin'_GitEmSteveDave: do you really want to know? really?
@BoardShortin'_GitEmSteveDave: Ouch! Well, if you'd like, I could help get you an appointment with a deaf therapist I know.
Um...how are your skills at pantomime?
@bosskev: I would say it was more like tunnel vision as it relates to the "war on terror." But that's better than the tunnel vision of our current president as he stares deep into our pockets.
@PaddyDugan: Why would a blind man want to steal another guys girlfriend? It's one of those questions we may never know.
@PaddyDugan: When someone looses an ability (sight, hearing, use of limbs, etc) it can make them feel less of a person. Especially when that ability was critical to one's profession. It just sounds like he found a way to enjoy life again.
Goddamn people, who pissed on your cornflakes today.
Guy has some nice pics.
Blind photographer? Big deal. In the U.S., we just went through 8 years of having a President with no vision.
@UnderLoK: good thing is you'll be able to see your crappy photos but he won't.
@PaddyDugan: Maybe he loves photography and wants to share them with other people.
North Star
Nice story, but what exactly does VoiceOver display? I don't want to sound rude, but wouldn't it be extremely hard to take professional-grade photo's using this and being semi-blind?
However, kudos to the man. Showing a large impact on his life hasn't shaken his spirit, and still does what he enjoys! Keep it up!
Does it seems calloused to ask why a blind man would want to take pictures? To look at later? Share his visual reflections? Seriously, I must be missing something here. Or else this is a medicine show testimonial...
PaddyDugan
This further proves the Jesusphone theory... Next step: multiplying bread and fish (check appstore next week)
WhitlawYuppers
This is ridiculous. I can't take photos that are worth a damn and I can see just fine...
"(low-end, Dejong admits)"
I would hope he admits it. Any photographer would say that the iPhone's camera is pitiful.
Nice story, though.
Pretty remarkable, though I was a bit more impressed by the completely colorblind painter.
michaelwiggins
@godwhacker, your incandescent leader!: Well, I know why, but since she packed on 50lbs since then, I kind of forgot.
@bosskev: As much as I disagree with bringing politics into a gadget blog, you have brought a smile to my face with your assery. I love it. Continue.
@Americun MORAN©: its cool, it not like he's gonna read these anyway
@bosskev: Touché my friend....Touché
Veledan
@bosskev: well, I have been on giz a lot less lately and do miss the Bosskev, so please kind Sir, continue.
+1
@switchblade saints: Yeah, at least a day or two, anyway.
;^)
And some of these folks--like a certain RB just above you--I have no idea WTF they are talking about. I mean, I can see it's meant to be some kind of slam against me (I think), but past that it could just be output from that one lucky monkey on a typewriter.
@bosskev: *pulls up a chair.
Its been awhile since you stirred up some folks bosskev, it has been to long.
haha
@bosskev: Are you joking me? you have got to be the biggest definition of collective conformity I've ever read. You come up with that brilliant and uniquely new viewpoint all by yourself there champ?
Rob Burke
@bosskev: Thanks, but I've had enough of my complaints falling on dear ears. If I want to be misunderstood, I'll talk to my family.
PaddyDugan
@EllenRose: Oh, do get real.
@jbaranski: "...politics? Leave it alone and talk about photography please."
Alrighty.
Here we see an amazing photograph taking advantage of dramatic lighting, capturing the subject in a dynamic, thoughtful pose. The distant spotlights, coupled with the framing of the figure from a low-angle vantage point, suggest a powerful stage presence, while the black background keeps the location timeless and universal. In sum, here's a photo that, through its art, presents a commanding persona that has captured the respect of the public.
And, as such, this photo also serves to remind us how, like statistics, photos do not necessarily have anything to do with the truth.
@bosskev: This is a bloody TECH blog. Keep your politics to yourself.
@bosskev: aren't those people great who always have to bring it back to politics? Leave it alone and talk about photography please.
So let me get this straight... He uses VoiceOver to tell him everything on screen. So it's describing what the camera's looking at, so he can photograph it?
Additionally, a picture's worth a thousand words, so it must take forever for him to figure out what the heck it's pointing at.
@bosskev: I agree with everyone else. Continue. Be careful though, there seem to be a lot of skin heads "shooting" to eliminate the democrats... haha
imTheKing