Personality of Teeth: A Visual Encyclopedia
Several years ago I was given thousands of extracted teeth. These teeth were collected during volunteer work at clinics in the southeast of the US. This collection of teeth changed hands several times before they were given to me. It has been very helpful for me to study and photograph these teeth and I have always wondered if I could find a way to share this collection with others. A diverse collection of teeth is a treasure filled with useful information. About a year ago I decided to document these teeth with photography. The result is Personality of Teeth: A Visual Encyclopedia.
This electronic book has taken over a year to complete. For each type of tooth (maxillary central incisor, for example) there were hundreds of samples to choose from. Each tooth is photographed from five perspectives. In total, there are over 2,000 views of more than 500 teeth. I spent several weeks photographing these teeth from different views using various light sources. I finally settled on a technique that would best convey the form, color, and texture of these teeth. There are also study pages that describe landmarks and a glossary of terms.
The analyzing, sorting, cleaning and photographing of these teeth took hundreds of hours. I have learned so much from viewing these teeth through my macro lens, and blown up on my computer screen. I believe this project has elevated my work and has given me a new appreciation of the diversity of nature.