Newsletter

The next time you find yourself frustrated by a difficult photo assignment, consider the challenges faced daily by Tara Miller—winner of the 2011 CNIB Eye Remember National Photographer Contest. Miller is a legally blind, professional photographer from Winnipeg, Manitoba who doesn’t let her disability stand in the way of her passion for creating beautiful imagery.

The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) launched the contest to help raise awareness about glaucoma, and put out a call to the general public of Canada to participate by sharing their most cherished images. Miller’s story and her winning shot, a stunning photograph of lightning striking a sunflower field at sunset, went viral on the Internet after being picked up by a few local newspapers and Canadian television.

Miller’s personal struggle with glaucoma began robbing her of peripheral vision at the age of 17, and today less than 10% of her vision remains. She explains, “I have struggled with my vision loss due to glaucoma, and found ‘inner peace’ when I took up photography again with the advantages of the digital age. I want to let others know not give up what you are passionate about. I will never forget how my 12-year-old son was there to help me capture this image. We share the excitement of finding a great location and share family time together.”

Miller and her husband Jeff are commercial photographers specializing in food and agriculture photography. When shooting still life and food photography for clients, Miller tethers her Nikon D300s to a 27-inch iMac where she can zoom in to 200% to check her work. You can view their portfolio at http://www.100acrewoodsphotography.com and read more about the CNIB and view Miller’s winning shot at http://www.eyeremember.ca.

Tara is looking forward to the Grand Prize vacation she won in the contest, and to the fact that “I have finally started to be taken seriously for my ability and not my disability.”