
Can you imagine all of the sudden not being able to do what you love? That is exactly what happened to Esther Vergeer, a successful competitor in the Paralympics. Compared to other sports in history, the Paralympics are fairly recent, immerging in 1960. The idea that disabled people could play sports was unheard of until the Paralympics. The Paralympics changed the lives of disabled in ways no one thought possible. These people are now able to do things that their peers can do. They are now given the opportunity to connect with the rest of the world. Esther Vergeer, champion Paralympic tennis player, is one of many athletes who have so many amazing opportunities pursuing her dream of playing tennis at a high level because of the Paralympics. In this photograph of Esther Vergeer, taken by Elizabeth Hudson, the emotion at first glance, perspective, and focus show that through hard-work and determination, this stellar, but paralyzed athlete, is able to pursue her dreams and be an Olympic competitor and inspires others to pursue their dreams as well. 

At first glance, the viewer's eyes are drawn directly to Vergeer. Her stance is very aggressive. She is in mid-swing during what looks like an intense game (Hudson). To anyone who knows the history behind the Paralympics, this image speaks loud and clear at first glance. A player in a wheelchair has to work ten times harder than a player who is not handicapped, and the opportunities were not always as great in the past as they are today. Vergeer has taught herself how to rely only on her arms, as she is paralyzed from the waist down. This aggressive stance shows her life-long struggle to be the best that she can be. She is a fighter to say the least. This fight that can be seen in this photograph by just one look is truly inspirational to all because everyone has to fight to overcome obstacles once in their life. One also notices her facial expression at first glance. She has a very focused and determine look on her face, and her tongue is out just a little (Hudson). This face shows her determination and hard-work to get to the place she was at when this photo was taken four years ago. It shows how she has defeated the odds and overcome the obstacles in her life and is now a successful tennis player in the Paralympics.

The perspective in this photo is below the player so the viewer is looking up at Vergeer. This could translate into a literal sense. As anyone who knows who she is and what she has done looks up to her, especially athletes trying to pursue their dreams. As an athlete myself, seeing this picture shows me what hard-work and dedication can do in an athletic career. The angle in which this photo is taken shows how people look up to and admire her determination to become a high-class Paralympic tennis player who has won several championships (Paralympic). The photo is also taken facing her, so the viewer can see her facial expression, stance, and muscular body (Hudson). If the picture was from behind, the viewer would not see these key components which show the determination of this athlete. Upon seeing her facial expression, muscular physique, and aggressive stance that is seen because of the perspective, the viewer is inspired to work hard to achieve their own goals.

The focus of this photo is solely on Esther Vergeer (Hudson). Everything else is not blurry, but the viewer does not notice it until they look closer at the picture (Hudson). When studying this photo, the viewer notices her and not the sponsors and background around her. This shows that the true focus is her as a successful Paralympic athlete and inspirational journey to get there. Her entire journey as an athlete is shown through this photo. Her failures, successes, and wins through her determination are all shown through this focus on her. The photo focuses on her athletic physique and harsh facial expression which shows her journey throughout her life (Hudson). The focus of this photograph shows the definition in her muscles and her ver strong athletic physique. As an athlete on any level, one has to endure long strenuous practices and heavy workouts. The definition in her arms while in mid-swing truly shows how those practices can translate into a game. This gives true inspiration to other athletes who may be questioning whether this pain and suffering from those practices and workouts are worth it. 

When looking at this photo, the viewer sees a hard-working and determined athlete who is obviously successful. The viewer sees the aggressive stance and muscular physique of an athlete who cannot use her legs. The viewer can feel this admiration without ever knowing her back story or how successful she really is. People looking at this photograph can relate to her in all different kinds of ways, because of the perseverance and determination the photograph shows. What the viewer does not know just by looking at this picture is that Esther Vergeer has been in a wheelchair since age eight after discovering that she had a blood vessel defect around her spinal cord. She has taught herself to play basketball and tennis while in a wheelchair. Vergeer has seven Paralympic titles and went on a four hundred and seventy game winning streak from 2003 until she retired. She has also won seventeen Grand Slam titles in her career (Paralympics). The viewer can tell she is an inspiration and admirable to all, but once one obtains the knowledge of her accomplishments, the picture definitely means a great deal more. It truly shows that she is a great inspiration and that her dreams really did come true despite the obstacles she had to overcome. 

