Felice Frankel: Hidden Wonders in Scientific Photography

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1945, Felice Frankel studied biology at Brooklyn College before shifting to science photography in her late 30s. Her career gained momentum at MIT, where she has served as a research scientist in chemical engineering for over 30 years. Key milestones include her influential book Envisioning Science (2002), Picturing Science and Engineering (2018), and her latest, Phenomenal Moments, which explores patterns in nature and human-made structures. Her images showcase vibrant colours like neon greens and electric blues, alongside precise textures such as crystal lattices or droplet curves. With a teacher’s perspective, she makes intricate scientific ideas clear and engaging.

Primary Genres: Macro, Other (Scientific Photography)
Primary Photography Styles: Straight Photography (detailed, vibrant captures of real scientific elements without alteration); Minimalism (abstract, precise focus on core forms and structures for clarity)
Key Message: Frankel visualises science’s hidden beauty, employing microscopy and macro techniques to convert complex concepts into accessible, striking images that connect art and education. Her work emphasises how visual representation can clarify scientific data and inspire broader understanding.

Frankel’s subjects often include microscopic elements like molecules, cell membranes, quantum dots, and surface patterns from lab experiments. She focuses on aesthetics such as high contrast for depth, vibrant hues to highlight details, and textures that reveal hidden structures, like rippling surfaces or glowing lattices. Techniques involve a Nikon D850 camera with 105mm macro lenses or microscopes for close-ups, stabilised on tripods at speeds around 1/125s to avoid blur. Lighting uses ring flashes or LED panels for even illumination, eliminating distracting shadows and ensuring precise focus on the subject.

In editing, she applies Photoshop to adjust contrast, punch up colours, and sharpen details without overdoing it, maintaining a vivid yet natural look. Presentation includes bold prints up to 20×24 inches for exhibitions at Harvard and MIT galleries, as well as books that guide scientists on visual communication. Her approach bridges film origins—starting with Polaroid SX-70 for instant feedback—and digital methods, allowing intermediate photographers to experiment with both for different effects, such as film’s grain versus digital’s clean precision.

For learners, Frankel’s style teaches the value of straight photography in documenting science accurately, while minimalism encourages stripping away extras to emphasise key features. Concepts like controlled lighting mimic the zone system for exposure balance, adaptable to digital workflows. This educational focus helps photographers grasp how composition and post-processing can transform raw data into compelling visuals, fostering skills in staging lab setups for maximum impact.

Accolades: Lennart Nilsson Award (2007); Guggenheim Fellow; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Loeb Fellow at Harvard University.

Trivia: She has photographed experiments in over 1,000 labs across two decades. Frankel teaches visual science communication at MIT, aiding researchers in creating effective images. She collaborated with 2023 Chemistry Nobel Laureate Moungi Bawendi on quantum dot visuals. Her images have graced covers of Nature and other top journals, reaching wide audiences.

Lessons from this Photographer:

Frankel’s unique approach lies in treating photography as a tool for scientific discovery, where careful composition and lighting reveal unseen details that enhance understanding. Photographers can apply her mindset by experimenting with macro setups and even lighting to avoid shadows, shifting focus from mere documentation to storytelling that bridges technical and artistic realms. This encourages intermediate shooters to use post-processing sparingly for clarity, fostering a deeper appreciation of how visuals can educate and inspire experimentation in everyday subjects.