Since its development in the 1850s photography has played an important role in the practice of medicine, whether that be in recording the progress of a patient’s response to treatment, in documenting research findings or developments in surgical techniques, or in educating generations of students and graduates. The fundamental techniques used in clinical photography, developed largely during the 1950s, remain relevant today. However, the advent of digital technology has made the photography element accessible to more than just the professional and enthusiastic amateur. Whilst this poses a challenge to the professional medical photographer, that same digital revolution has opened up new opportunities to make their skills and productivity more accessible and relevant to patient care and clinical education.
The book will discuss the rationale for clinical photography before going on to provide a practical guide to equipment selection, standardized techniques and digital workflows in a range of settings from the professional studio to the DIY enthusiast, and including telemedicine. For the advanced practitioner the book will look beyond standardization, exploring opportunities for more creative application of techniques. Through reviewing the use of photography in various clinical specialties, such as dermatology, dentistry, surgery and wound healing for example, we will look at traditional advanced imaging modalities such as infra-red and ultraviolet and newer techniques including dermoscopy, 3-dimentional imaging and thermography.
As well as a practical guide to clinical photography, the book will also discuss the legal, moral and ethical contexts within which photography in medicine operates, and for the first time explore the social, cultural and religious connotations for practicing in todays digitally literate, multi-cultural world.
This book will provide a valuable resource for biomedical photography students, practitioners and clinicians interested in developing their photography skills and applying them to medicine.
