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What is your primary line of work?

I am a photographer for Mayo Clinic providing patient photography and video in surgical, clinical, and research areas as well as editorial photography support including portraits, magazine, and event photography.

What inspired you to be a photographer? Describe your career path.

My interest in photography began watching my older brother take photos in high school and learning about the photographers on National Geographic and America’s Next Top Model.

I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Photojournalism with a minor in Mass Communications from Minnesota State University in Moorhead, MN. After graduation I did freelance photography while delivering sandwiches for Jimmy John’s. Freelance wasn’t my cup of tea, and in 2018 I was hired by Mayo Clinic as an associate photographer for the Plastic Surgery and Dermatology departments. After 3.5 years, I moved into my current photography role where I do more expansive work in the surgical, clinical, and editorial departments while also managing photography for clinical dermatology and our patient studio.

Describe a typical workday.

One of my favorite aspects of my job is how different each day can look depending on your assigned area of coverage. I could have editorial assignments photographing doctor portraits or covering events or be assigned to one of our surgical units bouncing around operating rooms documenting anything from open heart surgeries or tumor removals. Most likely, I will be at our main patient photo studio providing training for other photographers, assisting in developing protocols, and providing general patient photographic support for providers.

Atrial Septum Closure: This is a set of photos depicting an atrial septum closure during open heart surgery. This won two awards in the 2023 BioImage awards including Best of Show and the Premier Award in Image Series category. This set demonstrates the importance of consistency of lighting and framing between images.

What is the most rewarding thing about work?

The most rewarding thing is how my images not only help a patient’s individual care, but help providers with treatment plans and can also be used in research and education. When I first chose photography as a career path, I never knew my images would be able to make such an impact on people’s lives and the medical world. I am forever grateful for this position and it’s very rewarding that my images are making a difference in the world.

Where do you find creative inspiration when work gets mundane? What motivates you?

We have an exceptionally talented team of photographers at Mayo who inspire me daily by sharing their knowledge and expertise. Our photographers have backgrounds in advertising, real estate, wedding, retouching, arts and culture, journalism, and commercial, so everyone offers something unique.

I am also inspired to produce my best work knowing that my images are used to aid in each patient’s health journey and further research and medical advancements for future generations.

Vitiligo: This is a series depicting the skin condition vitiligo, a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. UVB light therapy has been shown to stop or slow the progression of active vitiligo. Using photographic processes and a UVB light (Wood's Lamp), the extent of skin pigmentation is able to be documented. The black and white images are able to highlight the pigmentation change without our eyes being distracted by color. When taking photos with the Wood’s lamp, we use a long exposure to allow enough light to reach the camera sensor, so the patient must remain very still.

Do you have tips or special techniques to connect with your subject?

Never stop learning. Collaborate with other photographers. Ask so many questions. I am a self-proclaimed ‘life-long-learner’ and I hope to never get to a point where I think I know everything about photography. I believe it’s important to be able to ask other creatives for feedback and advice which is a great way to open yourself up for growth. Keeping the mindset that you can always do better is the best way to learn new processes and techniques. I attribute so much of my knowledge to other photographers (specifically Paul F, Kevin N, Jeanna D, Tony P, Gosha W, and Josh B) for taking the time to teach me their techniques and processes and answering my thousands of questions. I am forever grateful for them.

What technology/gear do you use? Are people skills or technical skills more important in your job?

At Mayo Clinic we use the Canon RF system and Profoto lighting, but I use Sony mirrorless in my personal work. I feel the importance of personal and technical skills are equal in my job. We need to be proficient in our technical skills to adapt to constantly changing situations as well as be able to communicate effectively with doctors. It’s not only knowing what to photograph, but why they want us to take the photo; whether they want us to capture the texture and color of a lesion, the nerve function of a facial paralysis patient, the serial number on a breast implant, or the range of motion of an orthopedic patient. Knowing the why helps us know how to best adjust the settings of our depth of field, what lighting to use, etc.

On the other hand, each patient needs to be met with compassion and empathy, because you don’t know what they’re dealing with or what their health journey looks like at that moment. You might meet a patient to take photos of their nose, but they just found out they have extensive skin cancer and will need a full nose reconstruction. Taking a little extra time to connect with the patient can ease some of their worry and provide a better patient experience. I’ve had many wonderful connections with patients over the years that I will never forget and part of me hopes they remember me like I remember them.

Musician Portrait: This is a portrait from my freelance work of a local musician who was tracking his music at Carpet Booth Recording studio in Rochester, MN. The studio is located in a former church and the portrait is taken in the old baptismal tub. The combination of colors was an aspect I wanted to highlight and I love creating a moody vibe with the dramatic lighting. Environmental portraits are one of my favorite types of photos to take, because I feel the subject is most comfortable and the environment is a visual extension of their personality.

Do you have special interests outside of work? Do you take photos outside of work?

I have been a lover of all artistic mediums since I was a child, and I enjoy exploring those avenues in my spare time. I enjoy both acrylic and oil painting as well as graphite and charcoal mediums. I am inspired by the work of medical illustrators and I enjoy trying my hand at emulating some of their work. I am also a hobby geologist and am fascinated in the expansive geology of the Minnesota/Great Lakes region. Lake Superior Agates are my all-time favorite and I spent much of my 2020 quarantine taking my daughter and my German shepherd to the shores of the Mississippi River to look for cool rocks and fossils. I still do a bit of freelance photography in my spare time focusing on the arts and culture scene. I am deeply passionate about the local art and music scene in Rochester, MN, and I love capturing the creativity of the talented individuals within my community.

Do you have advice for photographers interested in biomedical photography?

Know your gear. Having the technical knowledge and familiarizing yourself with your gear is essential. In the fast-paced environment of a surgical setting, you'll need to be able to adapt quickly to changing situations without having time to fiddle with settings or equipment. You might find yourself shifting from macro photography of a specimen to capturing an overview of the surgical field, then taking a short video clip, and finally snapping a group photo of surgeons, all within a matter of minutes. Also, as someone who had zero medical experience before starting my career, don’t let the medical terminology intimidate you. Over time, you learn that the “popliteal fossa” is the back of the knee and how to not be afraid to ask “Can you point that out for me?”

Macro Rocks: These prints were featured in a gallery a few years ago and are examples of some of my personal work and my interest in geology. They are super macro photos of rocks from my collection - some of which are no bigger than a fingernail. They were photographed using a Sony A7Riii, a Mitakon Zhongyi 20mm f/2 4.5x Super Macro Lens, and a ring flash. The challenge was using the manual focus lens and using focus stacking for the rocks that didn’t have a polished, smooth face.

Inferior View - Base of Human Skull Illustration: This is a piece from my personal illustrative work and my best attempt to channel my inner medical illustrator. This illustration took me about 7 hours and I used my favorite Blackwing pencil and notebook. It’s not perfectly accurate, I’m sure, but I very much enjoyed working on it.

Awards

• BioCommunications Association 2023 BioImages
  • Best in Show
  • Judges Choice Award
  • Premier Award in Image Series
  • Award of Excellence in Image Series

• 2nd Place Adult Amateur Painting, 2021 MedCity Arts Festival - Rochester, MN