Canon and the Royal Society for Blind Children enable visually impaired students to experience photography through touch

The project began in late 2025, when Canon Ambassador Elisa Iannacone delivered a bespoke Canon Young People Programme workshop for seven RSBC students in Orpington. During the session, students created portrait images centered around their favourite activities, using photography as a creative tool to express identity and personality.

The students’ portraits have now been transformed into tactile relief prints using Canon’s elevated printing technology. Printed on the Canon Arizona 2380 XT using PRISMAelevate XL software, the process uses carefully developed height maps and multiple layers of UV-curable ink to build raised textures, giving each image a physical dimension that can be explored by hand. The exhibition invites students to engage with photography in a new way and broadens how visual stories can be experienced beyond sight.

Sarah Mallion, Vice Principal/Head of Business and Operations at RSBC, said: “Seeing students engage with their own work in such a tactile and meaningful way has been incredibly rewarding. The response from students’ families has been overwhelmingly positive, and the project has shown how technology can open up new ways for young people to connect with creativity. We hope this is just the beginning of more accessible exhibitions and learning experiences.”

The initiative reflects Canon’s commitment to making creative education more inclusive through its Canon Young People Programme, which supports young people in using visual storytelling to explore the issues, ideas and experiences that matter to them.

Neale Conroy, Marketing Director, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon UK & Ireland, said: “It’s been wonderful to see how this project has helped students experience photography in a completely new way. At Canon, we believe imaging should inspire curiosity, confidence and creativity, and this collaboration with RSBC brings that to life in such a meaningful way. By using elevated print technology to make images accessible through touch, we’re helping more young people connect with visual storytelling and share their own perspectives.”

Creating a lasting impact for students
Following the exhibition, the relief prints will remain on display at RSBC as a permanent installation, giving students an ongoing opportunity to revisit their work and continue engaging with photography in an accessible, inclusive way.

Watch the video to learn more about how Canon and the Royal Society for Blind Children: Inclusive Photography: Canon Young People Programme at RSBC