Seeing Things in a Different Light
Being a digital marketer, mostly, I’ll work behind the scenes, holding fort for Our Better World on social media. However, this time, I got to merge two things I love—street photography and my work. I’d be shooting daily life of a blind man named Gary and his service dog, Matt. Such experience moves me into an entirely different kind of narrative: the story about a visually impaired individual and his guide dog.
Street photographers, instead, are people relying vastly on watches, connections, and body language—all of that are vital to create my documentation on the journey of Matt and Gary in a public way. I probably would realize that as a camera extends the eye of a photographer, Matt is the extension to Gary’s sense in saying that Matt serves as a human asset with so much affection served as a favored family member to Gary and others within the four corners of their home.
The first time I saw Matt and Gary at their home, it came into my mind on how Matt really acted as if a playful ordinary puppy here. In the same token, Gary was so demonstrative in his praises to him and manifested so much affection, a way of referring to Matt as if one would any family, and then they walked out togetherI saw them differ: from playful to guide as he went out with Matt. Truly, anyone could say that someone trusted the other. Everything said about Matt by Gary during the course of his day, his praises, and all the encouragement words that day only but attested to the depth of their meaning to each other. In doing so, I began to appreciate much better how a guide dog and its owner’s relationship are truly unique.
I am a photographer. I love capturing fleeting moments, waiting for moments where the truth within the message is said to be the right thing. Gary and Mats are exceptional subjects. I have often been keen on how the public will deal with them. The most important thing for me was the very level of pure natures and respect for most people at the time. Nevertheless, there had been a few powerful lessons that surfaced during a few points.
For example, a woman was looking at her cellphone when he bumped into Gary by mistake and her irritation was rather visible-which shows exactly how simple it is for one not to see that a person is disabled even if there are no marks; it is not just a white stick. Instead, it underlines a person’s awareness and the need for greater understanding in the ways we live and work as a society.
People on public transportation were generally nice and offered Matt their seat or were careful not to get too close to his way. One special event was when a young girl was intrigued by Matt. Her mother explained to her that he was a guide dog, which helps those unable to see, thus passing on to her daughter a simple yet profound level of tenderness and respect.
Interactions weren’t as seamless, though. Sometimes people with good intentions almost tried to attempt things that Society make certain of inaccuracy. For instance, one man’s point was an attempt to guide Gary off the train through different hand gestures. Little did he know that a person who has a vision impairment needed clear verbal communication. On her part, a woman also tried mentioning to Gary that it was in the proper platform where he should alight. Somewhere down the line, there’s a disruption routine, as familiar routes and sensory cues are all-important.
The end of the day provided one of the most inspiring sights. The public transport personnel were found to be very efficient and conscious of all changes as they helped Gary go through all the transfers with ease. It is representative of changing accessibility and inclusivity in public spaces. Too often, several sights and challenges one faces every day are reduced to how to get oneself from one place to another, relying mostly on printed bus routes and their numbers-things are still very difficult. For Gary it was an absolute world of a difference.
Photographying the story necessitates walking a fine line between being in the right spot to record the spontaneity that happens during the routine without making them be aware of my presence. I had to move with them, anticipate some of their actions, and respect their boundaries. There is exactly one shot to record their truly authentic experience, all of which turned up the pressure. My camera had to stay hidden, following their speeds, while I had to monitor my proximity, particularly around Matt. It had to be done without confusing or obstructing him.
It was unbeknownst to us when one family misunderstood the purpose of our trip and began recording us while passing loose comments. Initially, this was unsettling, but in a way, it felt quite funny to think about how quickly such misunderstandings surface and how crucial it could be to come back to such potential exchanges.
The way in which I worked as a photographer taught me that there is more to seeing than meets the eye in art. Healing is another great thing about art-aesthetic vision. But with Gary and Matt it was self-discovered that your vision is beyond mere physical sight. Indeed, viewing into ways with great imagination and bravery, Gary could move around the world despite an impaired sense of vision, and he has really come up with good inspirations in Gary’s travels with Matt.
While working on this project, my perception deepened concerning the complexity involved in living with someone having visual impairment due to the title of the work. Their adjacency towards the guide dogs is meant to depict some of the bonds they share, indicating that their bond isn’t merely fleeting but necessitates thought or deliberate action in every shot. The shots must show that every moment and reaction is meaningful in order to convey the emotions of two bonded characters.
Gary’s illustration vividly communicates the value of understanding and compassion for each other. While moving rapidly with self-interest, this world brings forth kindness and empathy in a community made of comprehensive groups. All it takes is each one of us to stop for a second and try to see the world as perceived by another. This could make real change in the lives of those around us.