In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), mothers and preemies don’t have much time together. To help promote a semblance of the bonding that should take place when a baby is born, our NICU nurses started giving each mother a photo of her baby. And I was one of the photographers.

Inspired by the response to my photos, I expanded my efforts to take a wide range of photos, always with the family’s permission, of course. Photography offers a way to capture a moment, and I try to capture moments that evoke positive emotions.

My best photos show kangaroo care—one of the few interactions a mother can have with her extremely premature baby. Snapping the pictures takes only a few minutes, and then I leave the mother alone to enjoy her time with her baby.

As my photography in the NICU has advanced, so has my interest in photography outside the NICU. I love to pull out my camera; play with angles, colors, and light; and capture unusual photos. I’m just a beginner, but I’m looking forward to taking some great pictures, as I learn more about this art form.