Winnipegger wins national photography prize despite blindness

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TORONTO, July 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - CNIB has announced Tara Miller, a Winnipeg resident who is blind, as the winner of the organization's national Eye Remember photo contest.

Miller's stunning photo, entitled "Fortuitous Twilight," captured the attention of CNIB's celebrity photographer judges, who were not aware the entrant had any vision problem whatsoever, let alone having only 10 per cent vision in her left eye.

Miller's photo, which was voted to win by more than 2,000 Canadian users on the contest's website, was one of 128 submissions by people who are sighted, partially-sighted and blind across the country.

Miller, who began to lose her vision to glaucoma in childhood, says she takes photos by using what little sight she has to plan and frame the shot. Once shooting is complete, she hooks her camera up to a large 27-inch monitor and blows the image up to 200 per cent so she can see the results.

"People with vision loss can do the same things as sighted people, but just in a different way," says Miller.

As the contest winner, Miller and a guest will be heading to Quebec City, Quebec, later this year for a free weekend hotel stay and an opportunity to explore and photograph the historic city.

As a CNIB client who has taken advantage of many of the charity's rehabilitation services for Canadians with vision loss, Miller says she has learned the skills she needs to live independently despite her blindness. Working one-on-one with CNIB's specialists, Miller learned to travel on the bus independently, use a computer, and take care of her home and family .

"I am so proud of myself for my abilities and I thank the staff at CNIB for helping me," says Miller. 

Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer, CNIB's Eye Remember photo contest is designed to educate Canadians about the importance of detecting glaucoma early in life and to remember to be proactive about their vision health.

Otherwise known as the "silent thief," glaucoma usually progresses slowly and painlessly; therefore, it's possible to have glaucoma without noticing any symptoms or major changes to your eyesight. Glaucoma is the second most common case of irreversible vision loss in seniors and affects more than 250,000 Canadians.

About CNIB
CNIB is a registered charity, passionately providing community-based support, knowledge and a national voice to ensure Canadians who are blind or partially sighted have the confidence, skills and opportunities to fully participate in life. To learn more, visit cnib.ca or call the toll-free CNIB Helpline at 1-800-563-2642.

About Eye Remember
Eye Remember is a photo contest and glaucoma awareness campaign launched in 2011 by CNIB. Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer, the contest is designed to educate Canadians about the importance of detecting glaucoma early in life and to remember to be proactive about their vision health. To learn more about glaucoma and its risk factors, visit eyeremember.ca.

SOURCE CNIB