People indulged in the joy of taking pictures

It was 5 p.m. on last July 22 when the lobby of Asan Medical Center (located in Pungnap-dong Gangdong-gu in Seoul) was filled with a loud applause. The applause with a lot of joy was from the doctors who held “The 2011 Photo Exhibition by Radiology Professors in Asan Medical Center”.

They have never received any professional education for photography before, but they just started taking one or two pictures just because they like doing it. Now their photographs are exhibited at the lobby of their hospital, which was a result of their passion and sweat. All eight professors – Prof. Kim Hyoung-jung, Prof Seo Jun-beom, Prof. Lee Jin-seong, Prof. Yoon Jong-hyeon, Prof. Song Ho-young, Prof. Kim Nam-gook, Prof. Shin Ji-hoon (He was participating in a conference abroad at that time), and Seong Gyu-bo – could not take their eyes off their works on the wall.

When I asked an interview to Prof. Seo, he blushed with a bit of embarrassment. “We didn’t have a club and we didn’t regularly meet to take pictures together. When we started and what we have been searching for through photo-taking are all different, but the only thing we have in common is that we are all indulged in the joy of ‘taking pictures’.”

Looking back on myself via the viewfinder

Then, I asked the other professors about their stories regarding photo-taking. Prof. Seong says, “You know what? One’s intestines or blood vessels are all different among individuals just like one’s face or finger prints. If the intestines and blood vessels had looked the same, the scholars who study radiology just like me would have not been necessary. When I take pictures, I feel the same thing about the nature. Though I take pictures of the same object, it is different yesterday and today, at dawn and at sunset. Because every moment is different, each picture has its own value, I guess.”

To Prof. Yoon, his photo-taking was a ground to realize his dream. “For me, I first fell in love with the film camera when I was in high school. In spite of it, I’ve been unable to be active in photo-taking because I was busy with work. But I feel I am newly searching for my old dream which I had quit long time ago by starting to take pictures again recently. I wanted to major in the Plastic Surgery, but I changed my mind to study Radiology for several reasons. Since I am able to ‘plasticize’ the object into the image of what I wish and express the world of my dream through the camera, I thought it is also interesting to me.”

All of them say that their love for their family was strengthened through photo-taking. In case of Prof. Seong, his wife started taking pictures rather earlier than him. Because they have the same hobby, they enjoy going out for taking pictures together during their weekend. Prof. Seo says, “In the beginning, my wife didn’t like my hobby. But she loves it now. Before I started taking pictures, I just took a rest at home doing nothing. But now I plan for where to go during the weekend. And I became a good father and husband by planning for a family trip along with taking pictures. That is why she loves me taking pictures.” He continued talking about the changes in his family, which was brought by his photo-taking.

Memories recorded by light and time

Prof. Kim Nam-gook was one of the busiest persons to prepare the photo exhibition. He was the one who encouraged his colleagues when they felt awkward and frustrated about their pictures. I asked him how he felt, and then he just smiled back and said, “Each one of the pictures exhibited here and there is a memory to me, which was recorded by light and time. I am pleased to be able to share our memories together. Although the place, time, and the one’s mind are all different, we can communicate one another via our work beyond time and space. So I am very happy.”

The eight people’s communication which began with photo-taking is dreaming a more meaningful result. The profits from the exhibition will be donated to the foundation for the patients of the incurable diseases, they got rid of the threshold, and their photographs were displayed at the eye level of the patients so that the photographs look as if they can be reached by the patients’ hands. A patient in his wheelchair exclaimed while appreciating the pictures. The eight professors who were following the patient quietly exchanged their eye contact. Their faces were full of gratefulness and joy. When I saw their face, I came to look forward to seeing their future photograph work.

Written by Park Sarah, Photographed by Jung Min-young