Tsawwar… Mera Elnaal

The Salt Ate Away Her Eyes

“This photograph is part of The Salt Ate Away Her Eyes, a long-term documentary project tracing the intimate, everyday lives of my blind parents in Tripoli, Libya. In this moment, my mother is telling stories to her grandnieces and grandnephews. Though she cannot see them, they are fully absorbed, leaning toward her voice, wrapped in its warmth. There is no visual contact, yet the connection is deep and immediate. For years, I described the world to my parents in colors, faces, scenes. With this work, I reflect on what it means to witness life without sight.”

This documentary photography project grows from the photographer’s childhood practice of narrating the world to her blind parents. It captures tender yet resilient moments—her father in the morning light, her mother sharing stories—while reclaiming narrative through archives and imagery rooted in care. The work opens a window onto the beauty, dignity, and injustice shaping lives often unseen.

Amera Elnaal is a documentary photographer and journalist whose work explores disability, memory, and identity. She uses photography, text, and audio to amplify overlooked voices and challenge dominant narratives. Blending journalism with advocacy, her practice highlights systemic neglect and resilience and has been supported and exhibited by regional and international institutions. Check out her work on @merapics