Disability photography group providing the tools to share a new perspective

When William Webster goes out with his camera, he is looking to capture a fresh perspective. 

"The photos I take are of nature and shadow, and I'm part of nature," he says.

Mr Webster takes photos to give him ideas for story writing. 

"Sometimes photos can make up a story, because story writing is what I'm good at.

"I like pictures or photos to be part of that story."

Mr Webster is part of a group of people with disabilities who are being empowered to show their perspective on life through photography. 

The group is run through Hobart's Mosaic Support Service, as part of its visual arts program. 

"We get together weekly on a Tuesday and we get together in the morning, have a cup of tea, talk about where we want to go," support worker Rodrigo Diaz-Icasuriaga says.

"The group originally went under the name 'The World As I See It', and that's what photography's all about. It's perspective, and we all have a unique and individual perspective.

"For our clients to be able to show others how they see the world is really important."

Shaun Phillips also enjoys capturing moments in nature. 

"I love it completely," he says. 

"Different leaves on the trees, the red and orange and blue and yellow ones, it's good to take photos of ones on the ground too.

"I like to go down to the bottom of the [Tasman] bridge, take the water reflection, I'll go take some shell photos and reflections on the water too."

Cameras not 'happy snappy' models

The photographers are equipped with professional tools to shoot and share their works.

"We use DSLRs, we wanted to give the guys a chance to use something professional, rather than a happy snappy camera," Mr Diaz-Icasuriaga says. 

"The benefit of having DSLRs is they get better photos, we have proper lenses on them."

Mr Phillips says the DSLRs are very good to use. 

"Better than the small ones because the small ones are too tiny to take photos. The big ones are so much better."

Fellow photographer Kaye Giameos is pleased with how her photography skills have progressed.

"When I first learnt, it didn't come out properly, but then I started to take them and it came out perfect, so I learnt."

The group's photos are used to make items that are sold in the Made by Mosaic shop. 

"People from Mosaic print them on the bags and the cups," Ms Giameos says. 

The group also regularly holds exhibitions.

"So that's when we get to sift through all the photos, finding the nicest photos to use for the exhibitions," Mr Diaz-Icasuriaga says. 

"We do a bit of photoshopping as a group with composites, stacking photos and blending between."

Ms Giameos enjoys being surrounded by other photography enthusiasts.

"I enjoy it, every Tuesday I like going out and taking photos with the group." 

Source: ABC