Blind wildlife photographer to hold exhibition of her pics

London, Jan 30 : A blind wildlife photographer is set to hold an exhibition of her pictures.

Amateur Alison Bartlett's listening power is so sharp that she can pick up sounds like birds' wings flapping or a squirrel nibbling a nut.

When the 51-year-old photographer wants to take a picture, her snapper friend Jenny Gilleland helps her out by showing her where to point the camera.

"Jenny tells me where animals are and says things like, 'Birds at two o'clock'. She'll give me rough distances and I aim, focus the lens and take photos," The Sun quoted Alison, as saying.

"Of course others have to tell me whether they are any good," she added.

Alison, from New Milton, Hants, began to lose her vision in 1979 because of diabetes, and went completely blind in 1992.

"I was determined to carry on with things I'd always done. I started in my back garden because I knew where everything was, and all the distances and angles, and I learned to listen for the animals," she said.

"It hurts that I can't see the pictures - but if it encourages other blind people to continue hobbies, it's worth it," she added.

Her pictures will be displayed at New Milton library next month.

ANI