The recent discussion about why people do pin hole prompted me to finally write instead of lurk on this list.
I am a blind photographer. I often am asked why, in-the-world, would I want to take pictures. Pin hole takes time as many of you have pointed out. This extended time to form an image is similar to the way I form a image in my minds eye. Building an image from sound and touch takes more time than by sight. The experience of actually being in the area where the photo was taken makes the process an event not just a product. While I like to have photos complimented, it is the experience of forming the image in my minds eye that keeps me interested in taking photos. I view it as similar to the way a baby learns to see. At first a new born doesn't comprehend sight. after a while the baby associates objects with the visual data. I have learned a lot over the past year about how to use sound to compose photos. I am literally teaching myself to see again using photography as a tool to sharpen how I decipher sound. The comparison between the image I formed in my mind and the actual print is a great chance to learn. After I develop and print my contact sheets I have sighted folks describe the photos to me. This feed back loop confirms or disproves what I thought I "saw" using sound. While the sighted don't know what objects sound like it would take me longer to learn about sound without their descriptions of the contact sheets. I read this list each morning as I drink my first cup of coffee for the day. Thanks, Pete Eckert
