This Wildlife Photographer With Down Syndrome Has a Book Coming Out
Oliver Hellowell loves to photograph the world around him.
The 19-year-old photographer, who has Down syndrome, captures all kinds of wildlife on camera near his home in Somerset, England. Several months back, his photos received a lot of media attention after BBC News made a video about him. Now, Hellowell is fundraising to produce a book of his work.
Hellowell’s photography will be showcased in a 128-page hardcover coffee table book, according to his IndieGoGo campaign page. A percentage of sales will go to benefit Ups and Downs, an organization that provides support and information to families of children with Down syndrome.
In the first 11 days of his fundraising campaign, Hellowell has recieved more than 8,600 British pounds of his 10,000-pound goal.
His mother, Wendy O’Carroll, told The Mighty her son loves to hear how many orders there are each day for his book. She’s proud to be promoting her son’s work while simultaneously spreading Down syndrome awareness.
“The key message with this campaign, and with everything to do with Oliver so far, is to believe in your child and to believe in yourself,” O’Carroll told The Mighty. “Aim for those stars, fight for those dreams — and when they tell you you’ll never do it, don’t believe them.”
Check out some of Oliver Hellowell’s photography below:
To donate to Hellowell’s book, go here. Follow him on Facebook to see more of his work.