Sam Levitan Photography: Back in Action... or something like that...

When I was back in Chicago, one of my favorite things to do was to shoot for Northwestern University. I mostly shot for their engineering department, which meant lots of crazy microscopes, solar cars, people building things in workshops, and trying to get people who would much rather be saving the world through science than let you take their photo, to, well, help you make a picture. It was always a great challenge to walk into a room that you've never seen before, setup some sort of lighting scheme, take the photo, and break everything down in about fifteen minutes. It's why I feel absolutely head over heels in love with my little Nikon Speedlights and the little footie things that come with them, because I could sneak them wherever and get some nice shots, without having to take up too much time, and most of all, take up too much space with cumbersome equipment in labs that were never quite spacious.

Anywho, on to the point. A couple of weeks ago, I contacted the art director at Stony Brook University, Karen, and sat down with her and all but begged and pleaded for some work out here in Long Island. She normally has someone come in from the city to shoot for her, and I was truly humbled by that person's work. She really kicks my ass backwards and forwards as far as skill and talent and all of those things. But I was able to make a deal with Karen where I would be able to come in on an hourly basis, because I live so close, and, well, sometimes I drive my wife into work anyways, so I'd be around. And I can use Lindsey's inter-office mail and everything to deliver things to Karen, so we avoid FedEx-ing stuff and all of that good stuff. Karen said she'd keep me in her file, and let me know if something comes up that wouldn't take up a whole day's worth of shooting.

Needless to say, I was very pleased when she called the next day with three upcoming shoots. First we photographed Dr. Maletic-Savatic and her colleagues, who have discovered a non-invasive way to detect the formation of neurons in the brain, which can help determine if someone has autism or other brain dysfunctions.

Next we photographed Dr. Woo, who is new to the hospital, and comes in as an expert in the brain's blood vessels, and has been doing work with special stents that can prevent strokes in patients who experience TIAs.

inally, we photographed Emily Levin, a med student who decided to become a doctor after a rollerblading accident a few years ago that caused her to get run over by a bus. She was basically put back together again (faster, stronger) with titanium rods and the whole bit. You'd never know that anything had happened to her, and she told us that next week, she's going skiing. In fact, she went skiing within a year of her accident. We photographed her in the Clinical Skills Center, a part of the medical school where they have "Standardized Patients," basically actors paid to fake being patients to teach doctors how to be doctors. Our "SP," Gil, has something on the order of four heart attacks a week, amongst other ailments. After photographing Emily at work, we went to the library and shot her studying and posing with books and stuff. Then Karen and I pestered just about every med student in the library. To our great surprise, everyone was game, and we had a great time.