Okay, so some of you know that my day job is in the marketing department of Florida Hospital. It's a great hospital, but I recently told my team that I'm leaving after the first of the year to pursue photography full-time.

So yesterday I had the opportunity to do something I'd never done before, and hope to never do again (unless paid really well). I spent the day in the operating room photographing surgeries.

One of my good friends is a hospital photographer, but his uncle passed away so I got to fill in. He's been shooting at hospitals for 20 years, and he's awesome at it. I, on the other hand, have never felt so out of place. But what's funny is that he feels the same way at weddings. He'd never accept a wedding job, no matter what it paid. Funny.

Adding to my discomfort, I witnessed a total knee replacement, total hip replacement, an ovarian cystectomy, and a staged cochlear surgery. No, not all on the same patient!

Anyhow, being out of my comfort zone, I'm curious to hear what are some of the most out of the ordinary things are that you've ever photographed.

WOW!!! Toooooo crazy Garrett!!

Great Shot of u tho for all your marketing materials lol



I give u MAJOR props. I HATE HATE HATE hospitals and anything surgery-related. Eweeee. (that won't stop me from watching the shows tho)


The director of the photography program I graduated from was a forensic photographer for the FBI before he came to teach there. We'd be going thru his old manuals and magazines and find poloraids of thumbs (cut off) and other parts. *puke*

He told us (in detail) the stuff he had to do. Sometimes they weren't able to remove the entire body form the morgue or the examination rooms so they would have to cut off the part they needed to photograph in detail *double puke* and then cut further to get detailed print spreads. *okay, really sick now*

I'd luv to see some non-surgical pics!!


Oddest thing I've shot... a funeral. Oh, and a party where the "Girls Gone Wild" crew showed up for filming (very embarassing situation happened to a gal there which I'll spare the details of). Nothing too weird I guess.

Okay, that beats my story for sure! Where's the puking emoticon when you need it?!?

As for the oddest thing you shot, I was reading quickly and for a minute I thought the "GGW" crew showed up at the funeral! That would have been bizzare.

And in case anyone's interested, here's what a minimally invasive cystectomy looks like.

Oh, man, I could top them ALL, but I won't go into too much detail, because you never know who is lurking! I've been in consumer photo labs since 1997, and you would not believe what people drop off, lol!! I guess that doesn't count because I didn't photograph it, but it was always fun to go to work. We would never remember who dropped it off at any of the labs (I worked at three in OH, MO, and IN), just in case anyone feels timid about dropping off personal film.

I remember one of my coworkers (miss her ) was printing and she calls me over one time and whispers, "Hey, wanna see a BOOBIE?" LOL