Ditch the Flash, Catch the Moment: Alfred Health Annual Nursing Report
The Alfred Asked Us to Break the Rules
MMP Studio recently partnered with Alfred Health, one of Melbourne's premier hospital networks, to create photography for their 2025 Annual Nursing Report. This project featured a refreshing twist on traditional healthcare photography, embracing a documentary-style approach that captured the authentic essence of nursing at The Alfred.
The Brief
The Alfred's Creative Services Manager approached MMP Studio with a specific vision for this year's nursing report. The team wanted to move away from heavily produced imagery toward a more spontaneous, documentary style that would:
Reflect the day-to-day reality of nursing practice
Capture unscripted moments throughout the hospital
Align with the visual style of their in-house video content
Showcase the genuine interactions between nurses and patients
Provide comprehensive coverage across multiple departments and specialties
The project scope was ambitious, requiring photography across diverse hospital areas including Burns, Plastics, ENT, and Vascular on 6 West; Haematology/Oncology on 7 East; Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) at Parklands; and the busy Emergency Department. All to be completed within a tightly scheduled half-day shoot.
This approach required flexibility and adaptability, with a focus on authentic storytelling rather than technical perfection.
The Challenge
Creating documentary-style healthcare photography within a busy hospital environment presents several unique challenges:
Time constraints: Capturing comprehensive coverage across multiple departments within a 4-hour window
Hospital dynamics: Navigating a busy clinical environment without disrupting patient care
Lighting conditions: Working with available light in notoriously challenging hospital settings
Privacy considerations: Maintaining strict adherence to patient consent protocols
Authenticity: Capturing genuine moments while remaining unobtrusive
Our Approach
A Streamlined Team
MMP Studio collaborated closely with Alfred Health's nursing department to form an efficient mobile team. The Communications and Events Coordinator for Nursing Services and Anne from ADON Nursing Professional Practice and Governance provided crucial on-ground support, handling patient and staff consent processes. At the same time, the photography team focused on capturing compelling imagery.
Embracing Available Light
For the first time on a healthcare project of this scale, MMP Studio worked exclusively with available light. This departure from traditional flash setups allowed for:
Faster movement between locations
Less disruption in sensitive healthcare environments
A more natural, documentary aesthetic
Greater spontaneity in capturing fleeting moments
Detailed Planning, Flexible Execution
Despite the spontaneous nature of the imagery, careful planning was essential. MMP Studio worked with the Alfred team to develop a detailed shooting schedule that covered an impressive range of clinical scenarios, including:
Bedside handovers with patients and families
Nurses performing specialized procedures such as IV cannulation and blood transfusions
Staff managing chemotherapy infusions
Nurses working in full PPE in isolation rooms
Patient transfers and mobility assistance
Interdisciplinary meetings and ward rounds
Educational moments between nursing staff
Research and quality improvement activities
The schedule strategically:
Prioritised key departments and interactions
Allocated appropriate time for each location with efficient transitions
Built-in flexibility to capture unexpected moments
Ensured all consent requirements could be met, particularly for patient involvement
Included both individual and group shots of nursing staff from various specialties
The Results
The documentary approach proved remarkably effective, delivering:
A diverse collection of authentic images that captured the true essence of nursing at The Alfred
Comprehensive coverage across multiple specialized departments including Burns, Plastics, ENT, Vascular, Haematology/Oncology, Geriatric Evaluation, and Emergency
Visual documentation of critical nursing procedures including IV cannulation, blood transfusions, wound care, and patient mobility assistance
Portraits of nursing excellence featuring research leads, quality improvement specialists, and award-winning staff like Janet Haitong (Graduate of the Year)
A refreshed visual style for the Annual Nursing Report
Minimal disruption to hospital operations
Completion ahead of schedule despite the ambitious shot list
The resulting photographs showcase nursing staff in their natural environment—consulting with patients, collaborating with colleagues, and delivering care with professionalism and compassion. From the technical precision of setting up a chemotherapy infusion to the compassionate moments of mobility assistance, the images have a journalistic quality that brings viewers into the real world of healthcare at The Alfred.
Authenticity Creates Connection
The documentary approach revealed that sometimes less technical perfection can yield more emotional impact. By capturing genuine moments rather than posed scenarios, the photographs connect more directly with viewers and better represent the nursing experience.
Client Collaboration Enhances Efficiency
The support provided by the nursing department's communications team proved invaluable. Having dedicated staff handling consent forms and logistics allowed the photographer to focus entirely on capturing compelling images, significantly increasing productivity.
Adaptability Serves Client Needs
While MMP Studio is known for technically precise healthcare imagery, this project demonstrated the value of adapting photographic approaches to match specific client objectives. Different visual stories sometimes require different techniques.
Preparation Enables Spontaneity
The seemingly spontaneous nature of documentary photography is actually underpinned by thorough preparation. With detailed planning and on-ground support, MMP Studio was able to maximize every minute of the 4-hour timeframe.
Applications
The documentary approach used for Alfred Health's Annual Nursing Report is particularly well-suited for:
Annual reports seeking to showcase authentic workplace culture
Internal communications highlighting staff contributions
Social media content requiring a more genuine, relatable aesthetic
Recruitment materials aimed at showing the real experience of working in healthcare
Campaigns focused on the human side of healthcare delivery
Healthcare Photography for Your Organisation
Is your healthcare organisation looking to refresh its visual approach? MMP Studio offers both traditional and documentary-style healthcare photography services across Melbourne, tailored to your specific communication needs.
Whether you're managing communications for a major hospital network or a smaller healthcare provider, authentic visual storytelling can help you connect more effectively with patients, staff, and stakeholders.
Contact Michelle from MMP Studio by emailing photo@michellemcfarlane.com to discuss how we can capture your healthcare story with precision and passion.
