Britt, 26, was born with hydrocephalus, right-sided cerebral palsy and septo-optic dysplasia (SOD). Hydrocephalus is a condition where cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain, which causes her other neurological conditions. Britt had somewhere around a dozen brain surgeries before the age of seven.
A fraction of those with SOD are blind, though Britt is not — she straddles “that line between being able to see well enough to drive and not being able to do it.”
She doesn’t have mobility aids, but she can’t walk long distances without breaks in between either.
“It was kind of a lot for a little kid to have to go through,” she said. “Growing up disabled, I have struggled with mental health stuff, too. [Photography] is an outlet for me. It’s a distraction for me when I’m taking photos. I can think about other things that aren’t my real life.”
Through the lens of her camera, Britt has also been able to prove that her disability won’t stand in the way of doing what she loves.
Her style is diverse, with much of it popping out in the editing, and many of Britt’s photos reflect a vibrant positivity — in the flowers and the architecture. The photos often have idyllic names, like “A Light Among Shadows,” “Lights Like Stars” and “Cascade and Calm.”
Along with the candid photos, Britt started specializing in headshots and promotional photography for local indie authors, including Christopher Kern, J.E. Irvin, Tim Smith and C.L. Pauwels.
Her work has been showcased at the Cozy Book Nook in Moraine, with other area galleries expressing interest. She recently opened an online portfolio on Darkroom for Learn to Fly, as well.
“I’ve always kind of been into photography,” Britt said. “When I was little, we used to sit in my great grandmother’s living room and look through her old photo albums for hours and hours. In high school, I took a photography class to honor her. I’m kind of the little miracle baby in my family. I would like to think that she would be proud… amazed, maybe.”
The name Learn to Fly was borrowed from the Beatles’ song “Blackbird.” As Paul McCartney sweetly sings “Take these broken wings and learn to fly,” Britt brings her reality into the metaphor.
“There’s still this whole stigma against what disabled people can and can’t do, and the treatment of disabled people based on how disabled we are,” she said. “I just kind of work towards ending that stigma as somebody who was underestimated. Just because I was born with these things doesn’t mean I can’t do it.”
Britt is well-connected in the online disability community; she’s currently trying to find a local group of disabled creators to connect with, too.
She goes out with her Rebel XS at least once a week, and continues adding to her ever-evolving photography portfolio. Britt brings out the details of things for us that she may not be able to clearly see herself.
“I wasn’t expected to be able to do much, and I’ve just kind of been breaking expectations of what I could be, what I’d be able to do, my whole life.”
Brandon Berry writes about the music and art scene in Dayton and Southwest Ohio. Have a story idea for him? Email branberry100@gmail.com.
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