ART college student Rebecca Dearden doesn't like photographing people.

"The power in that relationship, with the photographer in charge, is never something I've been comfortable with," she said.

"Blind people represent the epitome of that one-sided relationship, so I began researching ways of making images tactile."

Volunteers from Hereford's RNC were happy to help Rebecca develop her idea - to make portraiture accessible to blind or partially-sighted viewers.

Software used for teaching could also be used to have an artistic application and, with the help of the college's 'talking tactile technology' team, she has created a series of tactile images that, when touched, trigger spoken comments from the portraits' subjects.

"I took traditional, life-sized portraits which could be simplified to turn into tactile images," she said.

"I then interviewed the volunteers to attach their words to various parts of the touch-sensitive screen."

Martin Rayner, an artist himself, was intrigued to see how Rebecca's project would work and was glad to take part.

Listening to the models' description of both their bodies, and their personalities, reveals far more than a sighted viewer may pick up from looking at Rebecca's photographic works.

A sense of humour prevails, as well as a sense of poignancy.

More than one model lost their sight suddenly and surprisingly.

"Many students at the RNCB don't see this disability as a disadvantage," music technology student Mike Nicholson says.

"It means we have to try a lot harder."

Happy with the results of this groundbreaking exhibition, Rebecca sees it as just a starting point - with still a lot more research to do.

Unseen Portraits is now on the road, and can be seen at the Focus on Imaging 2005 exhibition at Birmingham's NEC from February 27-March 2. For details call 0870 909 4133.