David Wilder shares his experiences of seeing colour using special glasses when when out taking pictures in Iceland
(Image credit: David Wilder)
Meet the pro: David Wilder
(Image credit: David Wilder)
David is a landscape, commercial and fine-art photographer based in Canada. He often runs workshops in the Rockies. Head here to watch a video of David experiencing sunrise colours for the first time with a special pair of glasses
Much like life, photography has many challenges. Sometimes it is about applying the knowledge of a technique, or being in the right place at the right time, but it can also include physical challenges.
I have a specific colour-blindness called deuteranopia that affects reds and greens in my vision, and I have struggled with colours as far back as I can remember. Besides some odd clothing combinations, it wasn’t until I started taking photos that I noticed the challenge.
Like many budding photographers, I started out by shooting headshots of musicians and model portfolios.
Back in those days, I would send images to a client, and they would ask why their skin looked “off”. My response was usually, “Oh, I gave you a bit of a tan”, not realising that what I’d done was make them look like the previous US president...
This prompted my love for black-and-white photography. I would turn everything greyscale, no matter what it was, and figured if I couldn’t use colour correctly then I wouldn’t use it at all; an approach that went on for years.
Eventually, clients wanted more than just black-and-white images, and so I started to outsource the colour correction to a friend of mine. Through that process I started to understand what tanned skin looked like – among other tones. I was able to change my editing techniques to make the skin look “correct”.
When I started shooting landscapes I realised what was causing my downfall. My early work was over-processed, saturated, often looking psychedelic. Again, it took friends and family to point these things out for me to make the connection.
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Discovering the challenges I have could have stopped me from enjoying photography. There are so many things in the world that are rich with vivid colour, and I only see the dull version of it.
But this has made me even more thankful for what I do have as a sighted person and a photographer. I focus more on other aspects of my images, like composition and technique, which allow my shots to still be strong.
Whatever challenge you face, I hope my story can inspire you to find a way to do what you love.
David Wilder
Now, thankfully, science and a few smart people have developed glasses that allow me to see colour in all its glory. But that’s a tale for another time… My hope is that my work and my experience can be a light for others who struggle in their craft.
Whatever challenge you face, I hope my story can inspire you to find a way to do what you love.
Lauren is a writer, reviewer, and photographer with ten years of experience in the camera industry. She's the former Managing Editor of Digital Camera World, and previously served as Editor of Digital Photographer magazine, Technique editor for PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, and Deputy Editor of our sister publication, Digital Camera Magazine. An experienced journalist and freelance photographer, Lauren also has bylines at Tech Radar, Space.com, Canon Europe, PCGamesN, T3, Stuff, and British Airways' in-flight magazine (among others). When she's not testing gear for DCW, she's probably in the kitchen testing yet another new curry recipe or walking in the Cotswolds with her Flat-coated Retriever.
