Sports photographer Joao Maia is making history at the 2016 Paralympics. He’s the first visually impaired person to ever shoot at the Games.

According to Africa News, Maia lost his sight due to an eye infection at 12 years old. He developed an interest in photography after that.

“I think that the photo allows me show people that I exist. I record what I see in my own way. People see my photos and say they are good. You have succeeded in capturing something that I would not have succeeded in doing,” Joao Maia said.

Joao has good hearing skills which allow him to trigger his camera at the right time. When he is close enough, he feels the heartbeats and steps of the runners and then proceeds to take the picture.

He told First Post, “You don’t need to see to take photographs. My eyes are in my heart.”