medphotog Loc: Witness protection land

Not a problem. I played the game for over 40 years and dealt with the plastics kids regularly. The residents at first would routinely shoot the patient in the clinic before sending them up to us in the studio but generally quit that practice once they saw our turn around time and "how my/our images were so much better than theirs." (Duh, they're paid to do doctor type stuff) If you have any questions let me know and I'll try to help. (Unless it's mole mapping. That would be a nightmare to explain via text.)

Burkley Loc: Park City

Thank you all. I will look at the floor plans today when back in the current office and make some personal contacts. Photography presents a challenge for us because we are not big enough to have a dedicated photographer and are simply too busy taking care of the sick and maimed in our community to routinely take photos ourselves. I appreciate all the insights. Most of the books and articles on medical photographic documentation are antiquated, from lighting to capture to storage. I appreciate all the input.

Paul Diamond Loc: Atlanta, GA, USA

The only thing I didn't see/missed, was where the comparative photos were taken - how large or small an area of the body? If surgery/accident scarring and repair on the body, breast enhancements/reductions, tattoo removal, etc. this will change your lighting considerably compared to images of just an eye, nose, chin, cheek, etc.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

There are some very complex aspects of clinical photography, however, if the images are not used for critical diagnostic purposes or extremely exact teaching illustrations, it is not an overly complicated procedure to set up a simple but effective and easy to use and access setup or before, after and progressive recording of a patient's improvments. It can be operated by any staff member with simple instructions and should no be a distraction from their regular duties.

Back in the olden days, when I first became aware of this kind of work, surgical atlases contained mostly drawings and airbrush illustrations rather than photography. Some of the early publications on medical photography do contain rather antiquated methods, however, many of them are still valid except for equipment updates and choices. The advent of digital imaging has influenced all kinds of medical imaging- X-ray- Ultra-Sound etc. all for better and faster access.

Good luck in your project and thank you for your service as a healer! My occasional work in veteran's hospitals has shown me that plastic surgery is not only for rhinoplasty and glamourous improvements.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

The ASPS and PSEF have a document about this. I found a copy here:
https://drsunol.com/pdf/fotografia-cirugia-estetica-plastica-joaquim-sunol.pdf

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

That is an excellent, up-to-date resource of information. It is written by the professional association of Plastic Surgeons. The setup is clearly explained and the instructions are easy to follow. Good illustrations!

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

I just did a search to find it, but was also very impressed with the precision. This would result in very different before and after shots than what we are used to seeing in diet and exercise machine adds.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I have shot ad layouts for fitness-related clients- gyms, diet plans, diet drinks and foods, diet pills, and exercise machines and devices. The art directors and ad-agency account executives always want the BEFORE guy or gal to seem unhappy (unsmiling), too obviously overweight and out of shape, and somewhat unfashionably dressed. The AFTER images are happy, upbeat, and well dressed and styled. It might be subtle but it is there and very common. I suspect that some of those images are retouched to reduce the appearance of body mass- probably illegal auto FTC or other consumer protection policies. The folks at Portrait-Pro now have body retouching software- you don't even need to be an expert retoucher are airbrush artist to knock of those pounds- in a picture, that is!

Well-crafted medical photographs, especially where plastic surgery and facial aesthetics are concerned, are strictly documentary and shot to particular standards as to camera and subject position and unembellished but clear lighting.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

"subtle" Ok. If that makes you feel good. Before and after shots in those ads are "subtle"
They are also fodder for lots of eye rolling.
But you have to do what the client wants.
Unfortunately there are millions of people out there who miss what is obvious to others in those ads. I mean facing forward slumped in bad posture with bad lighting and then standing up, sucking it in at a 1/4 to full profile with diffuse lighting. I sometimes think the before and after shots were done on the same day.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Thank you dsmeltz... Although it is 15 years old (©2006 Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation) the material is excellently presented with superb illustrative imagery... Downloaded and saved...

The logic of creating a "Calibrated" workflow is stellar and endearing...
I actually use a somewhat similar approach for Catalog Fashion and Beauty Renderings...

Once I have dialed in the desired illumination aesthetic with my mono lights in the studio (using manikins) I place subtle markings on the floor which allows for initial test exposures to be very close to what I'm typically going for...

Time with a client and a full team on set is very precious indeed... Enough said....