Am I bothered?

Right: a 'raised' image on which 'viewers' feel the outline Below: Harley with some of her work, and (bottom) her photo entitled "Hear me coming, smell me coming"

"Does this face look bothered?"
That's the title of this photograph (right), taken by Hull schoolgirl Harley Allison, of her favourite teddy bear.
The image has a special significance because Harley (14) has been totally blind since birth.
"The title is one of my favourite phrases because it makes me think I'm not bothered about what life throws at me – I will give anything a go and challenge it," says the Northcott Special School pupil.
The photograph is just one of many images taken by Harley which featured in an exhibition called "Sight through Touch" at the Hull and East Yorkshire Institute for the Blind last month.
Harley's technique involves touching and exploring things with her left hand, while taking the photo with her right hand.
Using computer software, the photos are then edited to take out colours, just leaving the outlines, before areas are raised to create textures so 'viewers' can feel the outline of the pictures.
"Harley's idea is that sighted people are blindfolded when they touch her work, so that it gives them an insight into how it feels for her when taking the pictures," says Simon Berry of the Young People's Inclusion Network (YP-in).
"They then go away, remove the blindfold, and try and draw what they felt, then look back at the picture to see how accurate they were.
That would give something near to an experience of being blind."
Harley's other work includes a photograph of her favourite perfume entitled "Hear me coming, smell me coming," which, she says, is how other blind people detect her presence.
"She's just like any other teenager, but she's got a lot of talent and just happens to be blind," adds Simon.
"The photography work has helped build Harley's confidence and independence."
YP-in is a local project which helps disabled young people become more confident in challenging and overcoming barriers in society.
It also helped Harley apply for a bursary of £500 from Photovoice, an international charity which empowers disadvantaged groups through photography (www.photovoice.org).

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For more details about YP-in call Simon Berry at KIDS on 467561.