Photo taken by contributor Sophie, a woman who was born in Belgium on Woodstock day in 1969. Sophie is mom to a wonderful boy who has been diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum. After graduating with a Master’s of Science in Mass Communication from Boston University in 1994, she worked for 18 years with major global leaders in the soft drink industry. She was in charge of the packaging development as Operations Director for over 50 countries. In 1999, she gave birth to her son who was diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum at the age of three. Since then, it has been a battle to find solutions, help, and schooling systems for him. She decided to go back to school to studied neuropsychology, Transactional Analysis, and finally Phototherapy. For the past two years she has recorded her life with her son through photography. Several of her works have been shown in Belgium over the past years. In August 2015, Sophie created Happy People House to help people take better care of their bodies and minds. She uses phototherapy to help professional and amateur photographers to uncover the unconscious part of the creative process, and aid with life transitions.
About this photo: “Extreme senses sensitivity…Noah hears, feels, sees and smells way more things than I could ever imagine, not to mention relations to touch and body language. As we travel the world, I travel twice: through my eyes and his. My life has been richer and more balanced because of the spectrum, not that I wish he had it, but it did make me rethink my relation to the world I live in, my personal values.”
Find more from Sophie on her website.
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“…who has been diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum.”
It’s okay to say autistic. It’s not a bad word.
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A very authentic photo. Facial expression is more noticeable in black and white. I think how you define autism is spot on-that it IS disabling, but not bad. I am autistic and speak for my own experience. I have crippling sensory issues. I tend to focus on things in my own photography- ordinary things that stand out, at least to me.
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Thank you. I love this photograph– both of your son, and the shadows.
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Autism brings it’s own levels of hyper-sensitivity to those diagnosed as being on its spectrum. Thank heaven it is now reconised, diagnosed and given serious consideration instead of families and family members being stigmatised by the ignorant.
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