Anthony Geiser worked as a nurse for 14 years before becoming a photographer. He has an associate of science degree in photographic technology from Daytona Beach Community College, Florida, and currently lives in Broomfield, Colorado. This image, as well as the one featured this month in Art of Nursing, is from his series of photographs depicting people with Alzheimer disease; all were taken at a long-term care facility in central Florida. The series was shown in Florida galleries, with brochures from the Alzheimer's Association (http://www.alz.org) placed nearby. Another image from the series was a winner in Photo District News's Photo Annual 2005 contest.
Geiser says, "Photography has been a passion of mine since 1990. I always took a camera with me wherever I went, and gradually I began doing some professional work. In 2003 I decided to make photography a full-time profession. I have a desire for whatever I do professionally to be beneficial to society.
"I've always felt that Alzheimer is a very lonely disease, and one that is particularly hard on family and loved ones. I wanted to make a series of images that would help raise awareness of this. Although the project has won national and international recognition, for me the highest praise has come from the families of the subjects, through their grace and generosity in allowing me to photograph their loved ones and the appreciation they expressed after seeing the images.
"The image of Mary was taken early one morning before breakfast arrived. Mary was a quiet woman who carried herself in a very dignified manner. The beautiful light being cast by the overhead light at that moment, the peaceful feeling of the image-this is Mary as I remember her."
More of Geiser's work can be seen online at http://www.adgeiserphotography.com and in this month's Art of Nursing, page 51.
Sylvia Foley, senior editor