- In this video, the eyes have it.
Or do they?
Today we're gonna explore the differences
between someone who's blind since birth, like myself,
or somebody who's legally blind, like James.
- I was born legally blind with albinism and nystagmus.
My eyes constantly see vertigo
and constantly moving involuntarily back and forth.
(static)
- [Interviewer] Show us how you take a picture
using your phone.
- Open up the camera app here,
and I don't always know what mode I'm on.
I can kind of tell from the white that I am in picture mode.
Yes, regular photo.
So, if I was to take an image here.
We'll
line it up.
I'll use the zoom to sort of zoom in
and make sure I got the focus in right.
Take this on the new iPhone,
and I just take an image like that.
So, playing around with zoom,
making sure everything's in focus
and then even playing with the exposure a little bit.
(whoosh)
- Let me get my telephone.
We will open it up here.
- [iPhone VoiceOver] Messages.
- We got a camera.
- [iPhone VoiceOver] Double tap to open.
- One face. Large face. Face centered.
Take picture. Camera. Take picture.
Button.
(camera shutter)
(whoosh)
One face.
- Listen, if that's the back camera, it told me one face.
So, I might have it.
Dude, that was cool.
I didn't even know that it was gonna do that,
'cause I always take pictures on Instagram.
- Oh.
So that was, I mean, I've seen that before,
but I was like, "There it is."
One face, bang.
I'm taking your picture.
(jazz music)
- [Interviewer] Do you ever write print
in your everyday life?
- Yes. When I'm signing papers, contracts, writing checks,
and I do it as little as possible
because I have to put my face down on the paper.
- I can. I know how to write a little bit of print.
I know a bunch of the letters.
I mean, I've written in old videos and stuff,
but, no. Occasionally I'll have to write print.
Very rarely if I have to sign something,
and my signature's sort of messy.
So, I've gotten to the point
where I just have one thing that I sign with,
and that was cool,
and I felt like I was able to buy a house
with that signature.
So, it's fine.
- [Interviewer] What about writing notes for yourself?
- I type. I just try to type as much as possible,
or use the dictation on my computers, or phones, or tablets.
So, it types for me.
- I type all the time and I dictate to the phone a lot.
That's how I really get my printed message across.
- Do you know cursive?
- No, no idea.
- That's something I still,
I've only used a few times in my entire life,
but somehow I still just know it.
Every letter.
(fireworks banging)
- [Interviewer] How do you experience fireworks?
- Sound, and then I can see the color.
(fireworks banging)
I can't always see the detail
or the designs that they're making in the sky.
I guess if I looked at it through a telescope or something,
it'd be a lot easier to see.
But the thing is, it goes by so quickly,
so maybe recording it and then going back
and zooming into it.
- Fireworks are just an auditory experience for me,
but I love 'em. (fireworks releasing)
I mean,
I like those crackly ones (fireworks banging)
that sort of
crackle across the sky, (fireworks banging)
and I love the big booms, (crowd gasping in awe)
and it's so stereo, you know? (fireworks banging)
The decay and release of it
is just giant and it sounds huge.
So, it's all audio for me, but it's wonderful.
(car driving by)
(upbeat music)
- [Interviewer] Can you drive a car legally?
- No, I can not.
- [Interviewer] Didn't you drive on the Merritt Parkway?
- I did drive on the Merritt Parkway.
I also drove on Interstate 91.
I drove from New Haven up into North Haven
from exit 2 to exit 12,
because my brother-in-law was drunk
and he thought it'd be a better idea
if I was in the driver's seat,
and he'd help me out with the wheel and I worked the pedals.
- [Interviewer] 2 to 12.
- Yeah, man. Long drive.
New Haven up into North Haven.
- [Interviewer] And you got home safely?
- Got home perfect. I'm still here. (chuckles)
(car driving by)
(clapperboard shutting)
(beep)
- And I dictate to the phone a lot.
- [Interviewer] I like when Twitter
(bird tweeting) on the sided.
- Oh, I was so pissed. I was like, (bird tweeting)
you wrote S-I-D-E-D.
- [Interviewer] What was the tweet?
- I forget, it's something,
but I was goofing on sighted people about something
and it said sided, S-I-D-E-D.
Oh, I was so angry.
And then this guy comments and goes,
"Tommy, that's the first time I've ever seen you
sort of screw up like that."
And I was like, "Thank you."