Body and Health Images is a collection of photographs by Nathan Benn taken for the book titled The Incredible Machine, published by the National Geographic Society in 19xx. World-famous medical photographer Dr. Lennart Nilsson provided breakthrough photography taken within human bodies, both living and deceased. Dr. Nilsson’s stunning images helped make this book a hugely popular volume, and it was reprinted in more than a dozen languages. National Geographic staff writer Robert Poole authored the text.

Nathan was assigned in June 1984 to provide the additional photography required to complete the book. Photographic subjects included factors and research regarding metabolism, strength and conditioning, cardiovascular health and illness, blood collection and processing, aging, nutrition, allergy research and remediation, artificial heart valves, and AIDS virus research.  

Photography began near Wichita, Kansas on August 6, 1984  documenting American Red Cross blood drive and blood product processing. Nathan completed photography at the Clarke School for the Deaf   in July 1985 in Northampton, Massachusetts with 449 rolls of film.

Technical Notes: Nathan used Nikon F, Leica M4 and Hasselblad 500c cameras. Nathan used electronic flash in many situations to control the quality and quantity of light. The electronic flash lighting was often filtered to obtain visual effects that to enhance the message and drama of the images. Nathan is grateful to photographer Gregory Heisler for teaching him how to use strobes, softboxes, and filters to achieve visual effects.