After the tripod was set, the photographer
checked the angles to ensure the ‘balance’ was
good. She then felt the buttons on the camera.
Then, she looked into the lens. Camera. Ready.
Action!
You may consider this the ordinary routine of a
photographer. Yes it is. But, what makes it
extraordinary is that Taiwo Lawal, the
photographer, is totally blind.
Lawal, 35, felt her way round the tripod to our
correspondent and explained with a smile, “At the
start, I kept wondering how a blind person could
learn photography. I thought it was impossible.
But the person who introduced me to it said it was
possible. So, I agreed to do it.”
She gave her consent to learn the art of
photography two years ago. Now, Lawal takes
photographs like someone that is not blind.
She continued: “I’ve learnt a lot about the lens of
a camera, the view finder, LCD screen and so
many parts of the camera.”
Medical science has stated that blind people tend
to show enhanced ability in the other senses. This
probably applies to Lawal.
Giving an insight into how she is mastering the art
of photography, Lawal said she uses her sense of
hearing and touch to take pictures.
She said, “If I want to take a picture, I would go
to where the person is, and feel his location; then
I would communicate with the person to sense the
direction, as the sound of the person tells me
where he or she is.
“Also, if I want to take pictures of nature, I first
feel the object by touching it, then move back and
take the picture. When I touch a flower, for
instance, I see the colours in my mind. I can also
tell if someone is happy or sad, because I know it
would be reflected in the picture.”
Lawal put her skill to use as she took many shots
of our correspondent and the surroundings.
“Some time ago in Ikeja, someone expressed doubt
on the ability of a blind person to take
photographs. Immediately, I took my camera and
demonstrated to him,”she said, laughing.
But does she have an idea of the outcome of the
shots she takes?
Lawal, answered, “Whenever I take pictures, I
know it would be beautiful, because I see them in
my mind.”
Before photography found her, Lawal had learnt
some few trades which included: bead-making and
bag-making. These took her four years.
Her photography has, however, been taking her
places. Recently, she won an award at the
International Day of Persons Living with Disabilites, which held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“Lawal is the first blind photographer I’ve ever
heard of. She’s an inspiration,” said Mrs. Bitebo
Gogo, Executive Director, Keeping It Real
Foundation, which organised the event.
Also, last year, Lawal met American Joe McNally, a
globally renowned photographer at a photography
exhibition.
“When we discussed, he encouraged me to continue
with my work. I was happy meeting him, because I
never thought I would ever meet such important
people. Now, I no longer feel bad because I do not
see. If I were not blind, maybe I wouldn’t have
gotten to where I am today,” Lawal said, adding
that she wants to pursue a career in photography.
“Taking pictures makes me happy. Also, it has
helped me forget my past sorrows, when some
people didn’t appreciate me and I endured a lot
of insults,” she said.
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