The Miracle of Photography
As we each create and mold our personalized wellness journeys, it is incumbent on each of us to make time to partake in activities that bring us enrichment and enjoyment.
Ken Yanagisawa, MD
AAO-HNS/F President
The impact of a well-taken photograph can evoke so many memories, emotions, and remembrances. You know, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In our family, photography may even be a genetic trait, spearheaded by my father who elevated otolaryngological photography to an art form.
During childhood, I studied composition, lighting, and depth of field, frequently referencing the Joy of Photography book series to master this amazing world. Many hours were spent in the darkroom manually developing and processing black and white prints. End results required patience, a bit of luck, and delayed gratification to determine if the moment had been successfully captured. I cultivated these skills as a high school and college photography editor, during monthly New Haven Camera Club color slide competitions my father and I attended, and as a Yale softball photographer. I still employ these techniques when capturing medical as well as personal family and bike-riding images.
As we each create and mold our personalized wellness journeys, it is incumbent on each of us to make time to partake in activities that bring us enrichment and enjoyment. Photography is a crucial element of my wellness equation. My excitement never ceases when I discover photos from earlier years with colleagues, friends, and family, or noteworthy medical cases, and bask in the rekindled memories.