Photography and plastic surgery: part 1

Plastic surgery and photography are inseparable and with present-day technology, it is much easier and more affordable than ever before to incorporate high-quality and standardized images into clinical practice. Perfecting digital photography can have a learning curve that is many times hindered by old habits from the days of slide photography, macro lenses, and specialized flashes, which made it more difficult and complex to incorporate into a busy plastic surgery practice. With the current digital revolution, many of these barriers have been or can be eliminated and anyone can become a proficient photographer. The purpose of this article, first in a series, is to introduce the plastic surgical nurse to the history of photography and applications and the benefits of digital photography.