Kelsey Bisetti

Let’s face it, the majority of us can’t even draw a stick figure without feeling like a complete failure. So can you even imagine how hard it would be to create images as beautiful as the one below?

Now imagine doing it blind. That’s right, the artist behind this stunning photo is Pete Eckert, a photographer, and painter suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that causes its victims to slowly lose their vision until they can no longer see anything.

When he finally lost the last of his vision at the age of 28, he began painting excessively and begging his wife to describe the pictures in as much detail as possible. Of course, this eventually drove her to the brink of insanity, so he decided to take up a different medium: photography.

He would go to a little “mom-and-pop photography shop” every single day, buy two rolls of film, and ask ten questions. This may seem like a boring or difficult way to learn, but it obviously worked.

Now, Pete Eckert is a living, breathing reminder that your struggles do not define you. He constantly challenges his limits and insists, “I am a visual person. I just can’t see.”

To see more of Eckert’s work, visit PeteEckert.com.

Author’s Note: This is a disease very close to my heart, as it does run in my family. Spread awareness and know the signs. Visit the National Eye Institution Website for more information.