Photography

Abstract

Quality gross specimen photographs are an essential part of surgical pathology. Aesthetically pleasing 35-mm color slides and black-andwhite prints are used not only to document the diagnosis but also for conferences, presentations, teaching, and publications. Unfortunately, photographs are often not taken, or if they are taken, they are not useful because of underexposure, overexposure, inappropriate lighting, poor selection of background, or blood-stained or -smeared backgrounds. Fortunately, with care and a standardized system, you can produce consistent high-quality photographs. This chapter first describes how to set up a standard photographic system and then describes how to photograph specimens and troubleshoot a variety of problems.