Relations 3 - Caritas Baby Hospital

Looking for a large context, rich of interesting situations and human relations, I focused my attention on Caritas Baby Hospital, a pediatric hospital at the entrance of Bethlehem which offers high quality health care to the children of the local community and the entire West Bank. The hospital includes three main sections: outpatient clinics, in-patient sections and a premature section. Local doctors and paramedic staff work together with foreign doctors and nuns in a multi-cultural environment which is open to Christians and Musilims alike. The hospital is equipped with advanced facilities for treating most child diseases, while it defers to Israeli structures those who need surgery interventions. Definitely, CBH is a context deserving a broader analysis, but I here I should limit myself to the specifications of the brief, that is capturing human relations.
The following images are taken inside one of the two in-patient sections.

Nuns, social workers and nurses are interacting in the semi-circular space which opens the way to a round of rooms, one next to the other. The architecture of the place is very interesting, as much as the light coming in from wide windows on the sides. Moreover, an external corridor runs along to the circular border of the entire section, so that visitors can look inside at the children without entering the working area. I used again the 50mm lens, but I matured the need of moving to 35mm. Actually, when I use a zoom lens, that's where I end up more often.

The relation between a mother and a child is something unique, anyplace in the world. Here I found this young mother playing with his child, as they waited for the doctor's visit. Colors were working very well. Also, I feel that the expression of the child and his mother's look on the third frame are quite strong. Light was reasonably good as we were close to the window. My exposure for this series was: ISO 320 - f6.3/60. I think this setting reasonably worked, but when it comes to indoor moving subjects who are not posing, it may be well worthy to increase a bit the ISO, up to 500, and gain speed. Does it sound right? Any comments are much appreciated!

The doctor arrives and looks for the daily updates on the patients' folder.

Another scene which attracted my attention was that of a young mother who was having her hair combed by her daughter, hospitalized there. The atmosphere was that of a family spending a very simple and beautiful moment, as if they were at home. And they were not bothered at all by my camera. Actually, most of the scenes I saw at the hospital involved children with very serious diseases, and suffering parents besides them. This is to clarify that the two series above inevitably show just a portion of the relations and emotions taking place at the hospital. But, all in all, the entire environment was indeed friendly and warm. And I was impressed.

After visiting a child in a thermal chamber, a doctor briefs a group of students and nurses on the patient's conditions.

Here, another doctor approaches the bed of a child, while his mother remains on the side.

Finally, in the premature section, an early-born child is being treated with UV. His mother feeds him milk before the doctor's arrival. The first frame is visually powerful, and the "sun glasses" band on the child's eyes add some humour. The second frame well catches a moment, and I am quite satisfied with the composition and details in such a low light. Exposure: ISO 400 - f7.1/50.
No doubt, I will be back at the hospital. There are so many stories, people and situations which deserve to come out to the light. And I want to find out more.