Autism

[wbrandsma]

What does he say to the pics?

He describes in detail what he observes in the photographs, no emotions except for the photograph with the dog's ears. I had many people wondering what those ears were and my son immediately recognized the ears of his dog aiming at the little hairs on top of his ears.

I really want to thank you all for your warm and meaningful comments. Last night I was at a parents meeting and I showed these photographs too. I was pleasantly surprised to receive the same kind of comments which brings me to Sizifo's comment.

I am now considering different exposures for this series. That kind of feels like the first time doing street photography. I feel uncomfortable about that now, but something within me says I want to do it. Thank you for the encouragement.

 

[Robert Campbell]

What wonderful photos Wouter. Your charge and understanding is felt even without knowing the background. Hope you get some more exposure, it'd be a pity, since some of your photos deserve better than transient life of internet forums....

Would you consider a series of yours for an exhibition, or possible book publication; or a father and son (photographic) view of autism?

 

[Tim]

Wouter,

Thank you very much for posting this thread.
Your photos are from the heart - They are beautiful. I applaud your work.
All the best to you and your family.

I have sent a PM.

Tim

 

[gero]

beautifull

 

[wbrandsma]

Would you consider a series of yours for an exhibition, or possible book publication; or a father and son (photographic) view of autism?

I am still not really sure Robert. A book might be to personal, but I might consider an exhibition though. I am even thinking about Burn magazine, but I guess I have still my doubst to overcome.

Wouter,

Thank you very much for posting this thread.
Your photos are from the heart - They are beautiful. I applaud your work.
All the best to you and your family.

I have sent a PM.

Tim

Thank you Tim (so much appreciated) and Gero.

 

[Arie Intveld]

Wouter;

These images superbly capture the frustrations, anxieties and isolation your son must be experiencing as he tries to sort out the complexities of life. The fact that you have attempted to visually convey your son’s perception of the world speaks volumes about you as a man and a father. To me, these images symbolize your patience and love for your son as well as your own frustrations.

Only you, Wouter, could capture, in images, how your son’s view of the world differs from yours and mine. They are agonizingly beautiful.

All is not lost ...

Arie

 

[D upton-Hackett.]

Wouter,

Had tears in my eyes looking at the shots and reading the posts, it brought back lovely warm memories of a special time in my teenage years when it was a pleasure and a joy helping -out at a centre for Autistic children in Nottinghamshire for a couple of evenings each week. what comes back to me is the warmth and affection that the children gave back.

It was was a wonderful point in my life and taught me more than i can recall.

Derek.

 

[helenhill]

Beautiful & Heartbreaking series....

I do think a BOOK would be quite the Thing to do...
perhaps getting a Grant
working with your son & a few of his classmates on the Visual Side...
the Way an autistic child Experiences the World at large

I feel strongly it would be a SUCCESS
not only in Publication
but more so in opening up the hidden World of the autistic Child
I know Music can be very Important to an Autistic Child
perhaps Photography can be another Tool in bringing one out to Engage
Creatively & Emotionally.

I think Your on to something BIGGER than YOU realize.

Best to You - H

 

[wbrandsma]

Wouter;

These images superbly capture the frustrations, anxieties and isolation your son must be experiencing as he tries to sort out the complexities of life. The fact that you have attempted to visually convey your son’s perception of the world speaks volumes about you as a man and a father. To me, these images symbolize your patience and love for your son as well as your own frustrations.

Only you, Wouter, could capture, in images, how your son’s view of the world differs from yours and mine. They are agonizingly beautiful.

All is not lost ...

Arie

I really don't know what to say Arie. Your comment is very much appreciated. It certainly felt like my most difficult photographic project.

Wouter,

Had tears in my eyes looking at the shots and reading the posts, it brought back lovely warm memories of a special time in my teenage years when it was a pleasure and a joy helping -out at a centre for Autistic children in Nottinghamshire for a couple of evenings each week. what comes back to me is the warmth and affection that the children gave back.

It was was a wonderful point in my life and taught me more than i can recall.

Derek.

Thank you for sharing some of your experiences Derek. And I can absolutely acknowledge your comment about the warmth and affection of these children. Many consider them emotionless, but so little is true. My son has eyes that speak 1001 words.

Beautiful & Heartbreaking series....

I do think a BOOK would be quite the Thing to do...
perhaps getting a Grant
working with your son & a few of his classmates on the Visual Side...
the Way an autistic child Experiences the World at large

I feel strongly it would be a SUCCESS
not only in Publication
but more so in opening up the hidden World of the autistic Child
I know Music can be very Important to an Autistic Child
perhaps Photography can be another Tool in bringing one out to Engage
Creatively & Emotionally.

I think Your on to something BIGGER than YOU realize.

Best to You - H

Thank you so much dear. I have some ideas to extent the project, but they likely include much more personal photographs. And for that reason only I still have my doubts. Your words however motivate me to keep the project going.

 

[dickinsonjon]

Hi Wouter - a lot of your photographs remind me of my own work. I have Asperger's Syndrome, which as I'm sure you know is the more functional end of the autistic spectrum. Spooky.

I haven't passed by here for a while since I took parallel trips into DSLR and Film photography, getting rid of my G9. I just came back today and realised why I don't take as many photographs these days. So I've just put a big Nikkor up for sale on the 'bay and will be investing in an LX3.

Hope to post soon, love to you all.
JD

 

[wbrandsma]

Hello Jon. Your comment means a lot to me. I have gone through all the tests myself last year (we thought my son might have had autism from me), but in the end there were no signs of autism with me. We all however have some characteristics that reminds us of autism. Often normal people do have even more problems with the theory of mind than people with autism.

I am glad you picked up photography again and invested some money in the LX3. And I certainly love to see more work from you.

Wish you all the best.

 

[smokysun]

just watched this again. amazing what a person can do in solitude and their own personal world. recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Realms-Unreal...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1255668813&sr=8-1

wayne
www.pbase.com/wwp

 

[dickinsonjon]

Hello Jon. Your comment means a lot to me. I have gone through all the tests myself last year (we thought my son might have had autism from me), but in the end there were no signs of autism with me. We all however have some characteristics that reminds us of autism. Often normal people do have even more problems with the theory of mind than people with autism.

I am glad you picked up photography again and invested some money in the LX3. And I certainly love to see more work from you.

Wish you all the best.

Thanks Wouter. I feel in a strange place in that I can function in everyday life, but whenever I meet someone who is on the autistic spectrum I just sort of know. And I see so much of myself in more severely affected people. The label is a weird thing - where does Aspergers tail off into 'not very sociable but not worth giving a label to' ? I hope the photographs help you in your journey with your son.

 

[jonoslack]

HI Wouter
I'm interested - of course, I like the photos (I ALWAYS like your photos). Of course I'm very sympathetic as well, and I think the pictures are a clear and incontrovertible tribute to you as a loving father.

Still, I'm trying to get a handle on them with respect to autism. My preconceptions were more to do with precision rather than fuzziness. So I guess that I'm asking whether the pictures are an attempt to define your feelings, or an effort to indicate his feelings.

 

[wbrandsma]

Hi Jono,

Many, and so did I, associate autism with precision and eye for detail, but many are not aware of the panick and fear when they are not understood or not understand what is happening. And probably this is not the world outsiders see. If my son would only be occupied with precision I could have a happy and not to worried life.

Unfortunately his and our reality is so much different and more complex. He talks, he reads, he writes, but often doesn't have the same pragmatic usage of language. He sometimes doesn't understand the context we've defined. What if you interpret a situation completely differently from all other people, because you focused on some details you felt were important for you, but were not considered important by everybody else? Would you feel misunderstood?

Maybe I ramble too long Jono. And probably you are right that I might have also attempted to define my feelings. But when I see the fear in the eyes of my wonderful son, I can know recognize the complexity of fuzziness of his reality, even though I still don't understand him. Maybe that makes me even more a stranger.

Thank you Jono.

 

[drazin]

i enjoy these photos very much. what camera & film?

 

[Irenaeus]

So profound, Wouter — I have just seen these photos for the first time and am blown away by your words and their power and your situation.

*He is eight now and the tunnel vision of camera somehow makes him more conscious of his own limitations.*

I wonder what would happen if you told him to forget about the viewfinder and just to take what might be called gesture photos — intuitive, integrated with his body's movements, hints at what he might be feeling or what he might intend....Perhaps you might then be able to talk with him about them, asking if they pleased him and why, sharing what you find in them....perhaps if he could *own* them through this process he might see his way into using some of them to accept and incorporate and transcend his limitations.

Then, perhaps, the two of you might be able to collaborate on a book, perhaps with a photo of his on one page and one of yours on the facing one, with him having major input in the sequencing and perhaps even in any words that might (or might not) grow out of it all.

I don't know, of course, but these are the thoughts I've had, and some of the hopes —

All the very best,

Irenaeus

 

[nostatic]

Great imagery. Have you considered a keyboard/synthesizer/sequencer? My son was a handful (diagnosed ADHD) and while him taking pictures occupied him on occasion (especially doing time lapse stills), he also found some interesting "space" playing one of my keyboards, picking out weird sounds and layering them. Visual and aural and kind of different "channels" and can get to different spots in the brain/soul. I have midi recordings from when my son was 5-6 years old that are pretty amazing. Thankfully he's now going on 13 and mostly "grew out" of his handfullness. Well...some of the time

 

[mwalker]

Wouter, my daughter has aspergers. I know exactly what you are portraying. Nice work.

 

[Michael S]

Wouter, I'd somehow missed these photos when they were originally posted.

Very strong set -- and all that much stronger to the extent they provide comfort, or insight, for you and your family.