Photographers with Disabilities - a new group

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Densley

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Chris
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Some of you may remember a few months ago there was quite a long running thread on TP about photography and disabled people. Some good news! There is almost certainly going to be a new group formed for disabled photographers.

We aim to raise funds to hire premises where we can build an accessible studio and provide a venue for photographers with disabilities to meet, exhibit and sell their work. Web based galleries and forum, regular social events, newsletters, annual exhibition and competitions plus photoshop tuition are also planned.

Although the group initially will be physically based in Bristol our ultimate aim would be to form branches in other centres and to form interest groups within the Society.

How can you help? Well we are working very hard on building an accessible group one in which disabled people have a high degree of control and say and we would like to hear your views on what a group for disabled photographers should look like and provide. All comments are very gratefully received.

The group already has the beginnings of a website, yes it is still under construction but you are very welcome to visit it, it can be found at

www.photographerswithdisabilities.com

We look forward to hearing your views and comments.

Chris
 
Nice one Chris. My daughter is disabled. Sadly too disabled to be able to take a photo but if there is anything i can do to help, i'd be glad to.

Have you applied anywhere to help with funding? The lottery would be a good place to start. Also try your local Social services disability team. They will probably be able to give you some numbers to call.

Good luck mate.:thumbs:
 
Merc Hi,

Many thanks for your comments they are much appreciated.
The group is at its very early stages of development and funding streams are only just being investigated, the lottery would be one source we would seriously consider. As a group we have had involvement with an accessible studio previously and recognize the importance of having a “home”. We have a very good relationship with a centre in Bristol which has extremely good access; our aim would probably be to try and purchase space there and ideally build a new accessible studio and office etc. An advantage of such a studio is not only that it is accessible to disabled photographers but it is also accessible to disabled people to be photographed!

We are hoping to formally launch the group probably in early October with a public meeting in Bristol, I should be able to confirm the date for that meeting shortly.
The group won’t all be about its studio though, its web activity will be very important as will its exhibitions , competitions and forum, we really do want it to be a lively and active community one through which disabled photographers can demonstrate the skills that they have.

We will no doubt be looking for lots of support in the not so distant future, if anyone is interested in offering support of any kind they can contact via support@photographerswithdisabilities.com.
Merc, once again, many thanks.

Chris
 
well good luck with this :thumbs:, much respect and admiration for doing this project:clap::clap::clap:. I hope that it is a massive success and that you achieve your goal of having centres nationwide.:D

Thanks

Andy
 
Densley I'm curious ... were you part of The Disabled Photographers Society forums? They had a studio which was recently shut down. :shrug:

It sounds like a good idea if you can get it to work. One thing I would really love to see in a studio for us wheelchair/scooter users, is a raised stage/platform where we can sit right up to it like a table (with legs underneath) for portrait/model work. So even in the seated position we can get low point shots, iykwim.

Unfortunatly I won't be able to use the Bristol studio, I'll have to wait until you hopefully open one nearer to me in Lincolnshire :)

Good Luck :thumbs:
 
Project sounds an amazing idea and I wish you the very best with it. Good luck!
 
To answer your question yes I have had contact with DPS, but I do not want to resurrect that argument here! A group of us in Bristol feel very strongly that this project is viable and are now committed to taking the project on. Studio photography is an area often inaccessible to people in wheelchairs and trolleys as you state. Eventually we would like to design a studio from the ground floor up and the idea of having facilities to enable wheelchair users to take low angle shots would be one idea that could well be considered. The real benefit of the project is that it really is in its infancy so its very easy to build ideas into it!

We are not all about the studio though, we are looking at working with children as well as adults encouraging them to take up the hobby of photography or to produce visual images. We also provide a forum, which is open to anyone who has an interest in photography and disabled people, a gallery for members, space to sell and display work and over the coming months much more.

I hope I am not breaking forum rules here, its not my intention to do that, we will need access to older photographic equipment either to loan or use during group sessions and also to sell at camera fayres, donations of equipment would be gratefully received and used appropriately, if you can help in that way contact me through support@photographerswithdisabilities.com

I will gladly answer any questions people have about the group and I look forward to meeting some of you, or all of course through our own forum.

Chris
 
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