Interview with Bart Vulliamy Autistic , self-taught photographic artist
1
. Tell us a bit about yourself A resident of East Vancouver , Canada , I have had a lifelong struggle with anxiety disorders .
To some people I ’ m considered a Lomographer ( the act of taking photographs without thinking , and ignoring the established rules of “ good ” photography ). I use cheap plastic cameras ( Holgas ) as my main devices , and I bring them everywhere . I love the look of the lo-fi film distortion and imperfections in every shot I take . My influences include Roger Deakins for his cinematography , Ansel Adams for his landscapes and Andrei Tarkovsky for his dreamlike photography .
2
. What awakened your interest in photography and when did that interest begin ?
I started film photography in high school , where I took a photography class . Back then , my teacher called my photography “ weird ”.
I didn ’ t pick up another camera again until 2020 during the first Covid lockdown . I had been watching a lot of movies and was working graveyard shifts downtown when there was nobody working due to lockdown . Seeing a busy metropolis stopped in its tracks when it ’ s usually very busy was surreal . I knew that I had to capture these historical times .
3
. Your photography is heavily focused on nature . Why ?
I ’ ve always been very interested in nature documentaries and growing up in Vancouver I did and do a lot of hiking and nature exploration . That ’ s when I feel my best , when I ’ m out of the city and lost in nature . One of my goals is to visit as many National Parks as I can . Canada has so much to offer in terms of natural scenery and I want to explore and capture as much as possible .
4
. Your disability : what is it and how has it impacted your daily life ?
I am Autistic . Autism is a neurological processing difference that affects how we process , engage with , and experience the world around us .
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