Art reflecting life
Posted: February 23, 2010
Ed Cohen, D.O., FAOCD, ’69, has been interested in photography “ever since my parents bought me my first Kodak Baby Brownie Special in 1948. I still have the camera, and one day I will develop the film that I recently discovered remains on its spools.”
His early interest has evolved into a full-time avocation, and along with numerous courses in photography technique and software operation, Dr. Cohen has invested in countless pieces of equipment, the most recent being a Nikon D300. “No respected photographer can live without that new piece of equipment,” he says. “I guess that is why I still have my day job.” 
His hobby and his profession – he has a part-time practice in Marco Island, Fla., – aren’t exclusive, he says. “There is an enormous connection between the art of photography and dermatology. Dermatology is, above all, a visual science. The color and shades of skin and eruptions play a major role in the final diagnosis. We must photograph the eruption for comparison after therapy, and the recording of images is essential when performing cosmetic procedures.”
His creative challenge, he says, “is much like that of professional artists in whatever medium; we want to create on canvas or photo paper an image that is as near to what we saw with our eye at the moment that we snapped the shutter or laid brush to canvas.”
Nevertheless, Dr. Cohen has a special touch for creating award- winning images. His advice: Proper lighting, composition, and heart.
“The image must convey a story or invoke some personal interest,” he says, “or present a pleasing composition, so that it will be memorable.”