Edward and Joshua Geltman: A Photographic Journey

A photo exhibit at the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center this summer just goes to show that some things run in a family.

Take science, for example.

As a child, Edward M. Geltman, M.D., professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, often spent Saturdays in his father's diagnostic medical laboratory. Edward eventually studied biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned a medical degree from New York University. Years later, when his son, Josh, showed an interest in science, he also encouraged him.

Josh graduated in June 2008 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in political science with minors in urban studies and biology. He now works as a research associate at the Joslin Diabetes Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Josh is working on the 50-Year Medalist Study, which is characterizing patients who have survived for 50 years with diabetes that requires insulin.

Then, there's photography.

Edward started taking photos in college. As his career in cardiology progressed, he carried a camera on his travels to medical conferences and vacations around the world.

Josh was given a camera at age 10. Father and son soon traveled together on "photo safaris," capturing their interpretations of international scenes — and later, comparing the results.

"It has often been difficult to tell our work apart. We walk the cities, marshes, and beaches of America and a number of international destinations together, pointing out interesting potential images to each other," Edward says. "After a year or two, we began photographing each other for the first image of each roll of film to help us identify the photographer for any given sequence."

Following their invitations to exhibit at the FLTC, father and son spent hours together selecting 25 images for the show.

The photos show a range of people, architecture and nature scenes.

The Geltmans' exhibit opens Friday, July 24, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the hearth area of the FLTC. It will be on display until September 20.

Washington University in St. Louis	School of Medicine
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