Standardised anatomical alignment of the head in a clinical photography studio. A comparison between the Frankfort Horizontal and the natural head position

Abstract

The Frankfort Horizontal (FH) is used by clinical photographers as a reference plane to help maintain Standardised Representational Photography (SRP) when photographing a patients head. A comparative method of alignment is the Natural Head Position (NHP). For this study a survey was created that asked consultants and clinical photographers which method of alignment they considered to be the most effective. The survey found that 77% of respondents thought the FH was the most effective method of alignment. This high figure is due to some confirmation bias as the FH is the industry standard.

Keywords:

• Education
• photography

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Marie Jones, Medical Photography and Illustration Manager, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and lecturer in Clinical Photography, University of Westminster, John Smith, Senior Lecturer for Imaging Art and Science at University of Westminster, Chris Wood, Senior Clinical Photographer and the John Radcliffe Medical Illustration Department, Oxford. Catherine Armstrong, MiMs Administrator at The James Cook University Hospital and Stephanie Rowe, Clinical Photographer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of this article.