Clinical photography: a guide for the clinician

Abstract

Clinicians might not always have available the services of a professional medical photographer, but if a standardised approach is followed those who take their own clinical photographs can achieve acceptable results. This article offers guidance to the clinician on consistent lighting, exposure, patient positioning, linear scale, perspective, depth of field, and background. Advice is given on equipment and materials, including digital and conventional cameras, flash (strobe), films, and processing choices. Consistency of approach is emphasised - it is not acceptable to use photographic tricks to enhance the appearance of clinical outcomes. Rather, care should be taken to ensure that the only changes among clinical photographs taken over time are in the patient. Photographs should be stored and presented appropriately for their use and images for publication should be prepared according to the instructions to authors. Digital images for publication should be sized appropriately for the final reproduction size.