A native of Niort (Deux-Sèvres), Augustin October, a young man of 22, is passionate about the world of photography. He publishes his works on social networks. A way for him to regain the upper hand over the problems of his dis.
The Interceltic Festival of Lorient 2022
“Just because I have a disability doesn’t mean I can’t do anything!” This is Augustine’s cry from the heart. At 22, this Niortais wants to be an example of self-transcendence. Diagnosed with dyspraxia (motor, visual and cognitive disorder) when he was in kindergarten, he chose photography as a passion to overcome this invisible … but not invincible handicap.
For Augustin, coordinating his movements takes a lot of effort, but much less when he has his camera in his hands. “With my dyspraxia I have problems of space and time”He explains. “The photo needs to be precise, which I try to be as much as possible. It’s hard for me to stay stable so I stay in burst mode.
Like this photo (see below) of a walker not far from the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, posted on March 28 on his Instagram account @ gust_photo79where he regularly publishes his works.
“This photo is funny, because it looks like it was processed in advance”decrypt. “Anyway, I was in the car, I just opened the window! The contrast of the lights was incredible and it gave this shot.”
Self-taught, the young man wanted to go beyond street photography. Two years ago Augustin embarked on urbex, the urban exploration that consists in visiting abandoned places.
Still, he admits, he’s the type “Have some petches”. It was a friend who pushed him to discover this new passion. “I liked it right away! We choose places that are not difficult to access”, specify who says “Not very sporty, nor reckless”.
The latest snapshot posted on his account (see below), he’s quite proud of it. “I had never taken such a static photo!”, tells anyone who appreciates the side “Unusual and abstract” surrender.
Augustin assures him that today he is able to live with his dyspraxia (dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia). But they made his daily life a real challenge. “It was a little complicated in college”, he recalls, evoking the difficulty of his classmates in understanding the presence in the classroom of his AVS (carers with disabilities). “It was a daily struggle.”
The professionals accompanying him are unanimous: he will not go to the baccalaureate, due to his concentration problems. “Fortunately for me, they were wrong!”, rejoices. After earning his agricultural baccalaureate, the young man joined a BTS in Management and Nature Protection in Brittany.
The landscapes, the nature in the city and the architecture inspire me enormously
Augustin October, amateur photographer in Niort
A training that he will not be able to carry on until the end, but that makes him want to take an interest in the environment that surrounds him. “I understood that landscapes, nature in the city and architecture inspire me enormously”, says Augustine.
A disability that “closes the doors”
But photography remains above all a passion for the young man from Niort, who is now looking for a job. “Disorder closes the doors for me”, he says. His ideal professional project? “Connecting digital, environment and photography, in short, a profession that may not exist yet!”slips, amused.
Meanwhile, the young man is heavily involved in the association Dyspraxia France Dys 79 in Niort with voluntary interventions on dys disorders. Augustin also hopes to gain even more autonomy. He’s about to get his automatic transmission license. “Where there are two hours of driving for a normal person, after an hour I get tired very quickly!” But nothing to discourage him. “I believe it, I can do it!”
