Puppy love: Andrew Follows with guide dog Eamon.
By Cherie Donnellan
FROM the other side of a lens, Andrew Follows looks like just another photographer.
Except he’s blind.
Declared legally blind at the tender age of five with degenerative condition retinitis pigmentosa, Follows said his disability had only made him more determined.
His upcoming exhibition in Geelong will showcase his two passions: photography and community development.
Follows first combined his degree in community development and his skills as a photographer during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.
“I helped coordinate the relief programs in Alexandra and Narbethong and, of course, I took photos as well.”
Follows used his Black Saturday experiences for an exhibition showcasing his photos of the region before and after the fires.
His exhibition, Journey of Changes, was “a huge success”, he said.
Follows hoped sales from his Geelong exhibition of Journey photos and luminous night landscape prints would help him raise an additional $5000 for a trip to Scotland’s Edinburgh Arts Festival in July and August.
Follows said he would be unable to undertake the journey alone. Guide dog Eamon would have to travel with him.
“He’s like my soul mate,” Follows said.
“I can’t remember what it was like to live without him.”
Follows said he struggled as a younger adult to acknowledge his disability and became reclusive.
But Eamon gave him a new lease on life.
“It was as if a whole new world was opened up to me. I go everywhere now, even at night, but I never used to do that.
“It’s really helped my photography.”
Follows said he was working on new technology with RMIT University that he hoped would encourage other visually impaired people to get into photography.
He and RMIT electronics engineer Glenn Matthews were developing a voice box with Bluetooth technology to send instructions between cameras and smart phones.
“It’s ground-breaking technology,” Follows said.
“I actually think it will aid people with all sorts of disabilities with photography.”
Follows and Matthews planned to unveil their first prototype at the Edinburgh Festival.
Follows said the support for all of his projects had been “phenomenal”.
“Geelong Arts Society has been a major sponsor of my endeavour to make it to Scotland.”
Follows had also received sponsorships from Ian Potter Foundation, Federation Square and Guide Dogs Victoria.
Follows said his exhibition would be at Shearer’s Arms Gallery on April 1, with a meet-and-greet from 3pm.
