Award nominee is picture perfect

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This article was published 15/06/2011 (5606 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tara Miller is proving to be a picture of photographic vision.

Miller — who is legally blind — has just been shortlisted for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind’s Eye Remember photo contest.

After beating out entrants from across Canada, she is now among five finalists competing for a trip for two to a Canadian destination. Individuals can vote for their favourite photo on the contest website. Voting ends June 30.

Miller was born with congenital rubella syndrome. Her passion for photography stretches back to her first lunchtime photography classes in Grade 7 at River Heights Junior High School. At age 18 she was diagnosed with glaucoma, when scar tissue from previous cataract surgeries became problematic.

“As it is now, I have less than 10% vision in my left eye. It’s like what you see when you look through a straw. I have no peripheral vision. And in my right eye, there is no vision and just a little light perception,” Miller said.

Despite this, the Kelvin High School alumnus has refused to let this interfere with her passion for taking pictures.

“I refuse to give up something in life that gives me emotional strength and I enjoy working with bright and dark images. I feel it’s a great thing to see beauty in almost everything,” said Miller, who has previously worked as a customer service representative.

Miller has been honing her professional photographic skills since 2009, when she founded 100 Acre Woods Photography, with her husband Jeff, a former courier.

“We were on a family vacation to Hawaii. Jeff decided to do some courses and it just went from there.

Everyone encouraged us,” she said.

To get things done, Miller has learned how to channel the vision she has left using her light perception.

She also memorizes how to set up equipment with her hands, which can be time consuming, but rewarding. She also uses simple techniques that can apply to all shooters, which have helped her confidence and ability develop.

“It took me two months to feel comfortable holding one of our studio lights because I have no depth of field and was scared I was going to drop it and eventually adapted to my surroundings,” Miller said.

“Also, if I’m focusing on someone’s face, I’ll always use the automatic button to make sure they are clearly captured.”

Miller’s husband and business partner Jeff, who grew up in Windsor Park, calls her an inspiration and creative foil.

“When we go out shooting, we have fun competitions. I’ve learned so much from Tara. The angles she picks I would never have thought of. And just when I try and mimic it, she comes back with something completely different. She definitely has an artistic eye,” he said.

“The funny thing is that when we’re working, sometimes people don’t realize Tara is legally blind, because she’s so careful and I’m the one who often trips. And I’ve got 20/20 vision,” Jeff said.

Miller said her day-to-day living sometimes requires adjustment, but she accepts that everyone has his or her own set of challenges. One such example was her willingness to give up riding her bicycle for her own safety.

“I have finally accepted my visual limitations and hope that other people in my community will accept me as a legally blind photographer with technical abilities. I can do the job, if given a chance,” she said.

To view Tara’s work, and to vote in the contest, visit www.eyeremember.ca. For more information, visit www.100acrewoodsphotography.

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com