Pictures for words

Having already uploaded posts onto my blog I feel I should really explain more about me. I’m a photographer and also an artist that works with all manner of mediums.

So, what got me into the creative world? Well all through my childhood I struggled with academia, I just couldn't keep up with everybody else. I just couldn't study like my friends and found it very difficult to withhold information. The one thing that I did excel in was art and design, this made a lot more sense to me. I used art as a way of taking notes in other subjects, my own kind of hieroglyphs you could say. 

It was only after I achieved my goals of getting my Diploma in Art and Design and then my Fine art B.A Degree, that I was (at the age of 29) tested for Dyslexia. It turned out that all that time I was not slow or stupid, it was that I was not using the write techniques to help me learn and withhold that information.

So what is Dyslexia? Well it commonly known as a reading or writing disability. As this on a whole is true there are many other factors that come into play when someone has dyslexia.

People with Dyslexia tend to have poor working memory, I can have something told to me and as soon as a flash I will have forgotten what was said or only remember snippets. I find it hard to think back to what I may have done in the previous few days, and this is why I take so many photographs. I am always afraid that i may forget a scene or an occasion that happens, so by capturing it in a photograph I am able to relive moments in time.

 Some of the other things that are a product of having dyslexia are:

Slow and hesitant reading aloud. Difficulty in understanding written material. Re-reading and loosing the place when reading. Time management and mixing up times and dates.

All of these I suffer with all of the time. When I write my posts I have to re-read them 3 or 4 times and hope that I find any mistakes in spelling or grammar. I Started to right this blog because it is the one thing that I thought I could never do. So that was like a red rag to a bull. Never say never and I was told just to write what I know, enjoy and love.

Photography is a fantastic escape for me. I can take a camera and go for a walk in the knowledge that I can capture moments without the worry that I may forget things or place them in the wrong time and situation.

 The great thing about photography is that anybody can pick up a camera and snap away, Dyslexia or not. I can adapt my learning to suit me and develop my work in my own time and at my own pace.

Photography is a very creative means of expression with the need for me not to say a word. I see pictures, so what better way to put my ideas and thoughts across than in a Photograph. I like to try and capture the essence of the beauty in the world and everyday objects and situations. Sometimes a picture can beyond words and it is far easier for me to communicate via photography. Photographs become my memories, sights, sounds and stories.

David Bailey is a world famous and respected photographer that has Dyslexia. When asked what makes him a great photographer had said “Dyslexia”,” I think dyslexia is a kind of privilege because it helps you to see differently from other people because you're fucked when it comes to words.”

Some other Famous people with Dyslexia include names such as

Chuck close – Artist

Agatha Christie – Writer

Roald Dahl – Writer

Steve Jobs – Founder of Apple

Eddie Izzard – Comedian

William Butler Yeats – Poet

Bill Gates – Microsoft Chairman

Dyslexia affects 10% of the population, with 3% being severely dyslexic. It has no class boundaries.

I will not let Dyslexia hold me back, it’s a handicap and a problem for many people from all types of backgrounds so I know I’m not alone and neither are you if you are also Dyslexic. Below I have written some ways that I cope with being Dyslexic and hopefully they can help others.

First of all and most importantly you must start by changing your attitude towards your Dyslexia. Don’t think of it as a problem, think of it as something that makes you more of an individual and a rare gift. You must not see yourself as slow or unintelligent. Most dyslexic people are creative and think outside the box and I feel it’s not a bad trade off really, it makes us more unique and great problem solvers. 

The saying “A picture says a thousand words” couldn't be more true. I find making notes in picture form or learning instructions via images is a far more effective way to understand and learn things.

I find it hard to concentrate during the day, what with all the usual distractions. To combat this I do all my research and learning in the evenings, it is far easier to concentrate in the night hours. If you are struggling to understand something, try to step back and breathe. I find that my symptoms only get worse if I get all worked up about something so trying to still my mind all helps me then to go back to the task at hand and complete it. It may take me longer to learn something, but once I have found my own strategies that best suit me I will learn something and will be the best I can at it, more often than not, being better than someone who has learnt a task quickly as I have had time to let things sink in. Don’t force yourself to learn something, to write or read important information. If you are not in the right mood just wait, by doing this you can cut out the stress that will be brought on by pushing yourself too hard and a the wrong time.

If you have or think somebody may have Dyslexia you may find these websites helpful.

http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/ - The British Dyslexia Association.

http://dyslexiaaction.org.uk/  - Dyslexia action. Taking action. Changing lives.

http://www.beatingdyslexia.com/online-dyslexia-test.html - Free online Dyslexia test.

Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything.

Don’t suffer in silence. 

Written by Paul Casey Hemming 

@ Big World Picture Dot Com

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