Almost all of us take photographs and sometimes we get lucky – we capture a moment, we frame it just right, the subject is interesting, the colours work, everything we capture comes together. For the professional photographer, this is no matter of luck. They combine artistic creativity, technical skill and empathy with their subject to produce photographic excellence. For an example of this, look no further than the remarkable Oliver Hellowell – his mother Wendy takes up the story.
Oliver Hellowell is a 19 year-old young man who wants to be a professional landscape and wildlife photographer. He also happens to have Down’s syndrome.
Unique style
At around 11 years old Oliver became fascinated by his stepdad Mike’s work as a photographer. He liked Mike’s big camera and wanted to be able to take pictures like him. With Mike’s love, patience, guidance and targeted tuition, delivered in small chunks at Oliver’s pace, Oliver was able to extend his knowledge and expertise and develop his own unique style.
Oliver now enjoys and utilises the world of photography as both a tool for him to record what he sees in the way he sees it, and also as something which brings him a strong sense of achievement and self esteem. He enjoys the ‘freedom’ that photography brings him.
Having Down’s syndrome means that much of his life is ‘supported’: he is followed, restricted and in some aspects ‘shackled’ far more than ordinary children and young people. But when he is taking photographs he can take pictures of whatever he wants, without anyone saying ‘don’t do that’ or ‘don’t go there’ or ‘let me do that for you’ or ‘no, that’s not right let me show you how’, and so on.
Oliver has complete power over his subject matter, the time he spends on it and if he is happy with his picture that is the most important thing.
His widely-followed face-book page and his exhibitions have brought him a real sense of achievement and pride, and he now often comes back after a bit of an ‘expedition’ with a set of images saying ‘my fans will really love these won’t they mum!’
‘Eye’ for a picture
Oliver’s success is down to the quality of his images and his ‘eye’ for a picture, but also to his ‘story’. He
loves fishing, bird-watching and being out in the countryside and is currently hoping to publish his first book by the end of the year – how exciting is that!
For more information about Oliver’s book and how you can purchase it:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/oliver-s-wildlife-and-landscape-photography-book/x/11363032#/story
www.oliverhellowell.com
Face-book Page:
www.facebook.com/
OliverHellowellPhotographer
