Finding Confidence and Community Through Photography

For Finn, photography is more than a passion. It is the way he experiences the world. Born with albinism and legally blind since birth, Finn discovered the power of photography as a child, when the camera let him capture details he could not see clearly otherwise.

This summer, Finn joined The Lighthouse’s Photography for All program, a paid internship where students who are blind or visually impaired explore visual arts using accessible Apple devices. A senior photography major at Columbia College, Finn has felt isolated at times as the only blind student in the program. That all changed this summer, when Photography for All also connected him with a vibrant community of peers.

“It gave me a lot of confidence to meet so many other visually impaired photographers,” he says. “Many sighted people don’t realize that blind people can be photographers, and I think it’s really important to raise awareness that anyone can do this and to see our perspective in photography.”

Over six weeks, Finn and fellow artists explored Chicago through their lenses, from the Garfield Park Conservatory to Navy Pier. In addition to photography training and an opportunity to practice orientation and mobility skills as they navigated around the city, students also built important vocational skills, including resume writing, disability disclosure, and interviewing techniques.

In August, Finn was one of two participants selected to represent Photography for All and present their photography at a showcase of summer technology programs from across the city at the Apple store on Michigan Avenue. As the only visually impaired artists in the showcase, the program reinforced the value of inclusive arts spaces.

A collage of photos Finn took during Photography for All. From left, the first photo is black and white and is looking up at sky with three buildings visible. The second photo shows a vintage camera next to a hardcover book and a pipe. The third photo shows an El station with a green roof and a train arriving at the platform. The last photo shows a view of skyscrapers frames through an archway.

A few photos from Finn’s Photography for All portfolio.

“When I share my photos at school, my classmates get to see things from my perspective. I do a lot of close-up work, and frame things in unique ways because that’s how I see the world,” Finn says. “Blindness is a spectrum, and everyone experiences it differently. In Photography for All, I got the chance to experience new and different perspectives, too. It’s important to have those different perspectives represented in art.”

As Finn heads into his final year of college, he is eager to keep building skills, connections, and opportunities, while continuing to capture the world from his unique perspective.

To see more of Finn’s work, visit https://finnerschulz.myportfolio.com/work

Make a gift to support our youth programs today by visiting: chicagolighthouse.org/donate.

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