Scenes that appeal to the healthy photographer may not be best for hospitalized patients.
Just below a peaceful stretch, river water slides down an incline and generates vigorous waves when passing over irregularities on the riverbed. The wave locations and their general shape remain relatively constant, but the paths taken by individual drops of water within that shape (revealed by a long exposure) vary constantly. The result is that every photo of the exact location is different. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
A recent article in a German journal (1) that reviewed current literature essentially confirmed previous recommendations for art in healthcare but cautioned that the quality of the evidence was low. According to those “evidence-based”’ recommendations for patient rooms, scenes with calm or slow-moving water are preferred over scenes with turbulent water.
While I am not contesting the recommendations, as a mentally and physically healthy photographer, I have to say that given the choice between photographing a calm stretch of river or its turbulent cascades, I invariably choose the cascades.
Photographed from the exact location as the first photo, but focusing a little lower and to the left, the wave location is similar while the details change. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
There are plenty of reasons for that attraction. I am in a different physical and mental place than a hospitalized patient worried about their health. And, as with other photographers, I strive to convey the energy and reveal the hidden beauty of the river’s hydraulics in a still photograph. In other words, I am pursuing the goals of fine art instead of the goals of art for healthcare.
But that sets up the cognitive dissonance. When I am out photographing for Iris Arts and hope to get an "evidence-based" restorative photograph for patient rooms, I can’t be lured by the siren song of the boisterous energy and constantly changing patterns of the cascades. Can I?
Third in a series of many. The cascades were boisterous, their energy palpable, and the changing flow patterns fascinating. It was an exciting and personally rewarding spot to photograph. Honestly, it required some effort to pull myself away to focus on the calm sections of the river that were more appropriate for patient rooms. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
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