A Day with an Orthopaedic Vet

This was a personal project, somewhat based upon the famous photo-essay ‘Country Doctor’ by Eugene Smith wherein I also wanted to capture the home life and persona of an orthopaedic veterinary surgeon as well as his actual work with patients. This is based on my friend and former colleague, Manuel. I stayed the night in his home so that I could start the project from the very start of his day at home with his partner, move through his working day at the hospital performing surgery and then how he finishes his day by indulging in his very typically Italian love of cooking, friends and wine! Everything was shot with natural lighting, in a candid fashion for an editorial documentary feel to the photos to keep everything authentic and factual. It was important for me to capture the realities of his work, which includes all of the stress that comes with such difficult surgery and the exhaustion that occurs from having that responsibility every day. In addition to this I also wanted to have a character study that also shows the man behind the gown, his home and his outgoing and charismatic personality.