aboutus
KAREN HABERBERG is a New York City-based portrait photographer and published author. Her photography has been shown in numerous gallery exhibitions, magazines, and newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Daily News, Huffington Post, Time Out NY, Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan, New York Family, and Fit Pregnancy. She has been interviewed on ABC News, Good Morning America, and NY1. In addition, Haberberg teaches photography at the 92nd Street Y and JCC of Manhattan.
For nearly a decade, she served as the Director of Photography and Digital Media at the JCC in Manhattan, where she spearheaded photography related programming for children and adults. Haberberg has also curated numerous exhibitions and collaborated with well-known photographers such as Annie Leibovitz, Elliot Erwitt, Joyce Tenneson, Gillian Laub, Bruce Davidson, among others. She also frequently lectures at NYU, Rutgers, and various Health Care Organizations throughout the country.
Haberberg holds a BA from Brandeis University and earned two MA Degrees; Educational Communications and Technology from NYU and Fine Art and Photography from the ICP. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and kids, Maya and Liam.
STILLS & MOTION
Healthcare Photography with Real Patients - The Real Story
Working with real patients who are often compromised and fatigued can be a challenge for some photographers. Often times, the patients need to take a break during the shoot – they need to be cared for and considered differently than with models who are trained to be photographed and do not usually have debilitating health ailments that will affect the shoot.
I love photographing real patients for the reason that other photographers sometimes struggle. I love learning about their conditions, sharing their stories visually and promoting awareness for the population they represent while always working around their conditions.
I make sure not to manipulate them into doing things for the camera that will hurt or exhaust them in any way. As a result, I find that they are much more apt to trust me and they in turn give me the best of themselves which is seen in the images I capture for pharma companies, pr and marketing companies, healthcare organizations, etc.
My advice to healthcare agencies – Be mindful when hiring a photographer to shoot healthcare patients that they are first and foremost sensitive to the needs of the subjects. The great expressions and content from these patients will follow.