The Professional Photographer With No Hands and No Legs Inspires The World With His Creativity
With heart and determination, all things are possible.
The world is full of opportunities but no two people are presented with the same obstacles to overcome.
In the case of professional photographer Achmad Zulkarnain, we all learn that it is what is inside of us that makes the world a unique and beautiful place. If you looked at nothing more than his photography you may not ever think twice about what truly makes him so special but the story behind the images is truly profound. 24 years ago, Achmad was born without hands and legs but in their place, a creatively resourceful personality overflowing with determination.
Zulkarnain doesn't need hands and fingers to capture the incredible scenes before him. With a strong sense of ingenuity, he uses his face, mouth, and the extra skin on his arms to properly and expertly operate his professional camera. His work covers a wide variety of potential from mind-blowing nature scenery to exquisite models in traditional attire. Of course, that's not all there is to it. He retouches his own digital work on his laptop to add the final perfect touches. At this point, he has even created his own Company, DZOEL, in order to help him manage the consistently growing demand for his work in Indonesia.
But Zulkarnain is humble despite his very real inspiration to differently-abled people around the world. He told Al Jazeera:
I don’t want people to see my pictures and think of who I am – I just want them to see my creativity.
And indeed, we see his creativity in his breathtaking work but the story behind the man is an important story to tell. A story of determination to inspire us all.
1. Achmad Zulkarnain
Achmad is a 24 year-old professional photographer from Indonesia.
Achmad Zulkarnain
2. A twist.
But Achmad was born without hands and legs.
Achmad Zulkarnain
3. However....
That certainly did not deter him from pursuing his passion and his dreams.
Achmad Zulkarnain
4. Inginuity
Achmad takes all of his own photographs and even edits all of his own work on his own laptop. He is not held back by his differences. Instead, he is motivated and empowered by them.
Achmad Zulkarnain
5. And his work?
It's absolutely stunning.
Achmad Zulkarnain
6. Colorful and Creative
Some of his work involves incredible models in traditional clothes.
Achmad Zulkarnain
7. Incredible
His work is incredible in its own right.
Achmad Zulkarnain
8. Dreams come true
It is clear by the smiles on his face, Achmad loves what he does.
Achmad Zulkarnain
9. Enduring
Achmad is heavily sought after in Indonesia for his brilliant photography skills.
Achmad Zulkarnain
10. Vibrant
With stunning subjects and vibrant colors, his work comes to life.
Achmad Zulkarnain
11. Self Sufficient
Achmad gets around to his gigs by driving himself in a custom-made go kart. His family helped him build it so you know he has a great support system along the way.
Achmad Zulkarnain
12. Inspirational
His determination to achieve his goals inspires differently-abled people everywhere.
Achmad Zulkarnain
13. And he's popular, too!
So popular that he had to create a company to help manage the flushes of business requests he is regularly receiving.
Achmad Zulkarnain
14. Of course...
It's not hard to see why he's popular. His work is very, very good.
Achmad Zulkarnain
15. Current
Achmad is a very busy photographer with plenty of work to do.
Achmad Zulkarnain
16. Truthfully
We have a feeling we will continue to see much more of Achmad's work over the years.
Achmad Zulkarnain
17. Incredible
Because his work does stand alone, no questions asked.
Achmad Zulkarnain
18. Brilliant
There are probably millions of photographers in this world who couldn't use their hands to capture such stunning images.
Achmad Zulkarnain
19. Versatile
And his work is versatile, able to do many things. Just like him.
Achmad Zulkarnain
20. “I don’t want people to see my pictures and think of who I am – I just want them to see my creativity.”
And we do, Achmad. We do!
Achmad Zulkarnain
21. So much more.
There is so much more to the work and the man.
Achmad Zulkarnain
22. We can't get enough!
And we can't get enough of all he has to offer this world.
Achmad Zulkarnain
See Achmad in action and hear him speak of his work in this inspiring video:
Elana
