Photographs by Dr. Paul Krawitz

Photographs 

Dr.PaulKrawitz 

krawitzphotography.com

Waiting Room 

Where: Naples, Florida 

Camera: iPhone 6 

The Shot: Everyone loves a sunset. But I look for 

something to create context and interest. One 

young boy, still playing in the sand after the 

beach was empty, gave me that. I love the way 

that the sun and boy bracket the left and right of 

the frame. 

Where: Wachet, Myanmar 

Camera: Nikon D40 

The Shot: I performed medical missions in in 

Myanmar in 2009 and 2012, treating cataracts 

and glaucoma in a true Third World country. This 

shot at sunset was an especially sweet end to a 

day of challenging but rewarding work. 

Where: Northern Vietnam 


The Shot: Vietnam lingers like a sore wound in 

the United States. But on this bike ride through 

Vietnam, I was surprised and delighted to 

discover how Americans are welcomed there with 

smiles and open arms. 



The Shot: Vietnam is the world’s fifth largest rice 

producing country in the world. Most striking to 

me in this shot is the solitary woman doing backbreaking 

work in the large paddy field. 


Where: Cambodia 


The Shot: Sometimes you can plan a shot for 

hours, other times you have seconds. From a half 

mile away, I saw the girls returning from school 

on their rusted bicycles. I quickly set up my 

angle, chose the background, and an area that 

would be lit with dappled sunlight. 

Where: Cambodia 


The Shot: Angkor Wat is the most visited temple 

in Cambodia, but it is the smaller temples with 

few tourists that I enjoyed more. Each tower on 

these Buddhist shrines has faces engraved on 

each of its four sides. 

Where: Split, Croatia 

Camera: Fuji X100 

The Shot: Lying directly east of Italy across the 

Adriatic Sea, Split is especially beautiful with its 

red roofs. 

Where: Hanoi, Vietnam 


The Shot: Flash would have killed the mood. 

Fortunately, there was just enough natural light 

coming in through a small window that allowed 

me to capture the vibrant colors in the otherwise 

gray surroundings of this metal-worker. 


Where: Brooklyn Botanical Garden 


The Shot: There were many rows of pink cherry 

blossom trees, but I chose one - backlighting the 

cherry blossoms while silhouetting the trunk for a 

stark impact. 

Where: Kauai, Hawaii 


The Shot: Bobbing up and down into the valleys 

in a tiny helicopter, I overcame my nausea just 

long enough to capture the rusted volcanic 

tentacles of Kauai’s western coast. 



The Shot: Extravagant family cemeteries like this 

one are common, but most Vietnamese are buried 

much more simply. Their bones are dug up after 

three years and reburied, sometimes placed in 

ceramic coffins. 



The Shot: Most of my favorite images are taken 

in the early morning, such as this one of the lone 

fisherman, or in the late afternoon. Sometimes the 

light is muted, other times vibrant, but it rarely 

disappoints. 


Where: South Africa 


The Shot: The young male lion and his brother 

found perfect camouflage in the gold grass. I was 

about 100 feet away and zoomed in fully with my 

200 mm lens. I still don’t quite understand how 

they didn’t see us as prey in our open jeep. 

Where: Halong Bay, North Vietnam 


The Shot: Emerald waters and towering limestone 

islands gave way to this quiet sunset shot. I hoped 

all the ingredients would make it into the frame, 

with the setting sun providing a silhouetted view. 

The lone fisherman made it even more perfect. 

Where: Caledonia, Spain 


The Shot: Mid-day light tends to flatten images 

and reduce their textures, and I usually avoid 

shooting then. But the light proved perfect for the 

curved blue brushstrokes of these mountain 

ranges. 




The Shot: After bicycling thousands of feet in the 

Pyrenees Mountains, this peaceful hillside 

morning shot view gave me an excuse to catch 

my breath. 

Where: Iceland 


The Shot: Walking on a glacier with spiked shoe 

strap-ons (crampons) is not for the faint of heart. I 

had my head focused on each footstep, praying I 

didn’t slide into the abyss. Thankfully, a few 

teenagers spotted this rainbow in the valley. 



The Shot: The Blue Lagoon outside Reykjavik is 

a favorite tourist attraction. I caught this shot of 

the hot spring with the sunlight streaming through 

the mist of the hot spring early in the morning, 

before anyone had arrived. The lone guard creates 

a futuristic effect. 



Camera Nikon D7100 

The Shot: Some photographers prefer using a 

tripod and long shutter speed to make rushing 

water look especially smooth. Not me. A shutter 

speed of 1/320 captured both the smooth motion 

and powerful cascading bunches of water. Only 

the mist, which is moving more slowly, appears 

smooth. 


INTERNAL FRONT DESK 

Where: Prague 

Camera: Mamiya 7 

The Shot: An internal walkway, away from the 

tourist crowds, was this geometric image with the 

sky’s reflection. 

Where: Westbury Gardens, Long Island 


The Shot: The intricate gazebo roof, the iridescent 

pond water and the shimmering flowers remind 

me of fantastical childhood stories. 

Where: Grand Canyon, South Rim 


The Shot: I arose at 4:45 AM and headed out the 

door of our cabin on the Grand Canyon’s Bright 

Angel lodge on the south rim. My wife asked me 

where the hell I was going at that hour? I told her 

I needed to catch the first morning’s light. The 

deep red rock against the dreamy blue sky made 

my time worth losing sleep. 


Where: Zermott, Switzerland 

Canon SX210 

The Shot: I love capturing people when they are 

unaware. And this quiet and solitary walk of two 

people, hand in hand, alongside the frozen stream 

in a pristine mountain village creates a peaceful 

feeling. 

Where: Naples, Florida 


The Shot: The Gulf coast of Florida, where Black 

Skimmers and Royal Terns flock along the 

water’s edge. On this morning, they were 

swarming around us. The woman in the red bikini 

adds a contrasting focal point. 

Where: Montauk, Long Island 

Camera: Canon SX210 

The Shot: The moon seems miniscule without the 

common trick of using a telephoto lens. 


Where: Galapagos Islands, Ecuador 


The Shot: Sea Lions abound on the beaches in the 

Galapagos Islands. On land, they are nearly blind 

and move with a slow and cumbersome 

awkwardness. In the water, however, they swim 

with poetic grace. Animals in the Galapagos 

Islands have no fear, and the young pups will 

swim close. They are just as curious about you as 

you are of them. 

Where: Croatia 


The Shot: The curved lines of the red roofs, the 

hillside edge, the water and cloud play off each 

other. 



The Shot: Frigate birds, with the hallmark forked 

tails. The males have red gular pouches in the 

throat that they inflate during mating season. 

Where: Johannesburg, South Africa 


The Shot: The magnificent Diego Forlan of 

Uraguay, at the FIFA World Cup in 

Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010. 


Where: Havana, Cuba 


The Shot: This is the “stadium” where the Cuban 

National baseball team practices. Players are 

selected at a young age, and the government 

provides free education, food and housing during 

their developmental years. 

Where: Norway Fiords 


The Shot: Steep surrounding mountains plunge 

into deep cold waters in the fiords. 

Where: Norway 


The Shot: On an early morning hike, I came upon 

this mirrored view with the red hut near its focal 

point. 

Where: Maine 


The Shot: I love images that convey quietness 

and contemplation. 


Where: New York Botanical Garden 


The Shot: Not obvious at first, you are able to see 

the sky through blades of grass because the sky is 

actually a reflection in the water. 



The Shot: The black bird perches on the glacier. 

The blue color is the new dense ice, in which the 

air bubbles are squeezed out. Blue light reflects, 

but all other light colors are absorbed. 



The Shot: These twin girls were on opposite sides 

of the kitchen in a Havana church orphanage. I 

stayed behind to capture the shot while the rest of 

our group moved on without me. 

Where: Cuba 


The Shot: Just your average Havana farmer’s 

market. Sometimes there can be a fine line in 

getting images of the locals. One would think I 

didn’t have this vendor’s permission. But he 

agreed, and then struck this pose. 




The Shot: Driving along the Malecón in colorful 

American cars from the 1950’s is the classic 

American experience in Cuba. But it was the 

small towns and people that won my heart. 



The Shot: I made friends with these jovial 

buddies in Central Park, Havana 

Where: The University of Havana, Cuba 


The Shot: Nearly all photographs of the famous 

Alma Mater (“Nourishing Mother”) statue at the 

main university entrance are from the front, 

showing two outstretched welcoming arms with 

the building in the background. Perspective and 

the direction of light, not to mention the Cuban 

flag in the background, make this more powerful 

and interesting, I think. 


INTERNAL SEATING AREA 

Where: Provence, France 


The Shot: Timeless small towns dot the hillsides. 

We reached this one by bicycle. Thank goodness 

for Google Maps! 

Where: Provence, France 


The Shot: There are three different sharp 

directions created by the two windmill blades and 

the tower, made more dynamic by tilting the 

perspective. 




The Shot: The low sun, which created these warm 

colors, was at my back. 



The Shot: This photograph is also in the waiting 

room. After bicycling thousands of feet in the 

Pyrenees Mountains, this peaceful hillside 

morning shot view gave me an excuse to catch 

my breath. 


Where: Paris, France 


The Shot: The tourists had long gone, and in the 

early evening I captured this image, which though 

is not the classic shot, is unmistakably the Eiffel 

Tower. 

Where: Vietnam 


The Shot: This is the favorite and most talked 

about photograph among my patients, with the 

withered hands, clasping each other in love. They 

belong to a pair of 95-year-old herb farmers who 

have been together for 80 years, since they were 

15 years old. People we were with captured the 

photo of them below. But I immediately 

gravitated to their hands. 

Where: Myanmar 

Camera: Panasonic DMC-ZS3 

The Shot: Obviously not taken by me, but a 

friend when I asked. The novice monks learn 

English by climbing up the hill to the lookout 

where the tourists congregate and making 

conversation. 


Where: Cuba 


The Shot: People ask me what is my favorite 

image, and it is this one. There is perfect balance 

between the Dalmatian gazing willfully at the 

girl, who is so graceful in mid-step it is as if she 

is dancing. It remains my only photograph that I 

knew was perfect the moment after I pressed the 

shutter release. 



The Shot: I often straggle behind when I find my 

image, as I did here at a Dale Chihuly exhibit in 

the New York Botanical Gardens. It is not the 

lights but rather the silhouetted human figures 

that are the subject. 



The Shot: Colored balls filling a canoe at the Dale 

Chihuly exhibit. I like the simple lines and 

mirrored effect. 




The Shot: I often get striking images with the 

help of others, as in this one when my wife Nancy 

pointed to the birds doing giant loops around the 

belfry. This shot was taken on their fourth circle 

around. 

Where: Reykjavik, Iceland 


The Shot: This is the Harpa concert hall, with 

honeycomb windows. Note the solitary woman in 

red. 


EXAM ROOMS 1-6 

Where: Wachet Eye Hospital, Myanmar 

Camera: Canon EOS 450D 

The Shot: Another requested shot from a friend as 

I worked in the eye clinic at the Wachet Eye 

Hospital. Patients sometimes travel for days by 

ox cart. Yes, it is amazingly gratifying. But it is 

also highly intense and difficult work, made more 

so at the time by very basic surgical instruments 

and the military junta that would turn off the 

electricity for hours at a time. 

Where: Cuba 


The Shot: Food staples are distributed by ration 

offices in Cuba. Residents know that for other 

items they must visit the grocery stores – in 

which the shelves are frequently less than 20% 

filled. One day the store might have chicken, on 

another day the store might have peas. 


Where: U.S. Embassy, Havana, Cuba 


The Shot: At one time, the Cuban government put 

up a multitude of black flags to block radio 

transmissions to the American Embassy. Only the 

flag poles remain now. 

Where: Jerusalem, Israel 


The Shot: Sometimes you get lucky. Originally, 

this was to be an image of the cobblestones, worn 

to mirror smoothness after thousands of years. 

Then along came the father and his two sons. I 

made sure to include the newspapers. Both add 

modern context to the ancient image. 



The Shot: Israeli youth all give three years of 

service to their country. 




The Shot: Islam, Christianity and Judaism share 

this same holy spot. 

Where: Santorini, Greece 


The Shot: Built on the inside of an inactive 

volcano caldera, this cliffside view of Santorini is 

a favorite of my patients who are travelers. 

Where: Norway 


The Shot: I teetered low to the ground on two 

rocks, hoping not to plunge into the icy water, to 

get this near and far shot. 


Where: Cuba 


The Shot: Yes, these flowering hillsides and 

mountain ranges are in Cuba. I like the way the 

flowers frame the cottage in the valley. 

Where: Cuba 


The Shot: When I travel, I like images that 

capture an everyday scene, like this one in which 

the three men gave their finishing touches to the 

corrugated metal roof. 



The Shot: The beaches of Iceland are made from 

the dark volcanic debris. I loved how everything 

came to a point in the center of this image: the 

beach, the water, the sky, the mountains, and 

most interestingly, the wind stream. I purposely 

underexposed the shot to create more tension. 

Where: Blydenburgh Park, Hauppauge, NY 

Camera: Mamiya 7 (medium format film camera) 

The Shot: This photograph is the most one that 

people ask most frequently, “What is it?’ I’m 

drawn to the patterns, and the textures on these 

stacked metal rowboats with their bow chains 

does just that. 




The Shot: The bulk of the credit should rightfully 

go to the street artist. Note the birdcage above the 

left eyebrow. 



The Shot: No, not a lake, but instead an old lava 

field, made more striking by my use of a wide 

angle lens, purposeful underexposure, and black 

and white tones. 



The Shot: The hungry bird was waiting for 

dribbled scraps. 



The Shot: Images with motion and circumstance 

require fast reflexes and anticipation before the 

moment happens. It’s rare, but magical as a 

photographer when it happens. I saw the bicyclist 

from 500 feet away, chose my shutter speed, and 

then waited. I panned the rider and captured one 

of my personal favorites. 




The Shot: These are young girl novice monks, 

and they were captured in this heartwarming 

scene by my wife, Nancy. 



The Shot: “People doing things” often make for 

interesting subjects, and these monk novice boys 

chasing each other while their robes soar behind 

them like capes would qualify. 

Where: U Bein Bridge, Myanmar 


The Shot: The blazing colors of sunset provided 

the perfect backdrop for this wide horizontal shot 

from our canoe. 


LASER AND PHOTOGRAPHY ROOMS 

Where: Cuba 


The Shot: The hat. The boots. The confident 

stride. This man’s walk in his neighborhood 

captures Cuban small town life. 

Where: Cuba 


The Shot: The Cuban people, despite the decay 

that surrounds them, are staunchly proud. 

Where: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco 


The Shot: The color of the bridge is officially an 

orange vermilion called international orange. 

The color was selected by consulting architect 

Irving Morrow because it complements the 

natural surroundings and enhances the bridge's 

visibility in fog. 


Where: Cuba 

Camera Nikon D7100 

The Shot: What looks cute to visitors is a result of 

Fidel Castro banning foreign vehicle imports. The 

Cubans are masters at jerry-rigging their 60 yearold 

cars to keep them beautiful and running. But 

when they make a smoky, smelly line-up on a 

narrow street, one yearns for catalytic converters. 

Where: Cuba 


The Shot: The car is the focus. But so were the 

four strong colors. 



The Shot: Cacti bloom from the rock-hard, bonedry 

lava rock. Back-lighting highlights the 

fingered shapes. 

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador 


The Shot: Blue-Footed Boobies are THE bird to 

spot in the Galapagos Islands. Like most animals 

there, this momma cradling her eggs with her 

webbed feet knows no fear of humans. I took this 

shot from only 7 feet away. 




The Shot: We don’t normally get to see the fine 

textures of the plumes and the woody striations in 

the beak. 


VISUAL FIELD ROOM 

Where: Ernest Hemingway Estate, Cuba 


The Shot: I was struck by the “uniform” of the 

members of this team. Donated clothing, musical 

instruments, common household staples and 

sports equipment are how many Cubans acquire 

material things. 



The Shot: Well, at least dad is wearing a helmet. 

Where: Fusterlandia (Havana), Cuba 


The Shot: The artist, Jose Fuster, has created a 

wonderland of mosaic tile and recycled art 

outside of Havana.

Photographs by Dr. Paul Krawitz

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