IJE series old and new.

Abstract

Some readers will have noticed the occasional appearance of a Photo Essay in the IJE. The first essay was published in 2003 in a series instigated by Mary Shaw who is both an epidemiologist and a photographer. In an Editorial ‘Photography as a metaphor for [epidemiological] research’ in 2005, she pointed out the parallels between epidemiology and photography and reminded readers of the power of photographs to communicate aspects of the circumstances and the participants who are the focus of our research. The series has boasted some fine examples of essays from researchers and photographers. Sadly, since Mary Shaw’s departure the Photo Essay has become a series more noted by its absence. In the interim, our invited profiles of the INDEPTH Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems sites have provided some excellent photographic illustrations of the difficulties faced by the populations living in these under-enumerated locations, as well as the challenges faced by those tasked with the data collection. Nonetheless, we are keen to see a revival of the Photo Essay and encourage researchers everywhere to use the opportunity of this medium to present a different side of their work. Whereas there is an expectation that the Photo Essay will relate in some way to health and well-being, the definition can be very broad and essays that examine the wider political, social and environmental determinants of health are perfectly acceptable. There are no set ‘author instructions’ for Photo Essays, but they usually include 10–15 photographs with 200–500 words of text. Ideally the photographs should be high resolution, as these will provide much clearer images on reproduction in black and white in the print version of the journal. All authors and photographers must be able to provide Oxford University Press with permission to reproduce all the images they use. Whereas in all other cases authors have to sign an agreement whereby the right to reproduce their material is transferred to the publisher, with Photo Essays authors and photographers retain the right freely to reproduce the photographs included in their essay.