I could write an entire book on what it's like to be visually impaired (oh wait, I did) but truthfully my experiences can be summed up into this: realizing I'm losing my vision has been cataclysmic in reorienting my life to see and experience as much as possible. Over the years I have fallen in love with healthy eating and pursuing an outdoor active lifestyle, culminating in even becoming a personal trainer; all because I'm going blind. Trust me, I'm not stoked on blindness and still have hard moments. I yearn for the day a cure is found for retinitis pigmentosa. In the meantime... I trust God and try to enjoy life as much as possible.
When my friends over at Portland-based Outlive Creative approached me wanting to create a video, I knew we had to incorporate the story of my vision loss and how it pushes me to get outdoors. Working on projects with creative people is always inspiring, and this was no different. Here is the result: our video collab, filmed in the stunning Columbia River Gorge, as well as some accompanying images from the shoot. Enjoy!
Be sure to check out Outlive Creative or give them a follow on Instagram. If you're looking for someone to tell your story in the Portland area, these guys are the real deal!