The Human Side of Healthcare.

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The Human Side of Healthcare. *

NYC-based healthcare and pharmaceutical photographer and director bringing human stories to life for brands and agencies.

A woman wearing a pink hijab and a green coat standing in front of a brick wall.
A person playing basketball, shooting a ball into the hoop from below against a partly cloudy sky.
A young woman and an older woman are hugging and smiling at each other in a room filled with potted plants and flowers.
A man with glasses, gray hair, and a beard sitting on a sofa in a cozy living room, wearing a blue button-up shirt, beige pants, and a smartwatch.
A man wearing boxing gloves practicing punches on a heavy punching bag in a basement gym. The room is unfinished, with exposed wooden beams and white insulation on the walls. There are boxes and a toolbox on the floor, and a treadmill behind him.
An elderly woman with a gray sweater and a nose piercing is being assisted by a younger person wearing a black shirt with a denim apron to craft jewelry, using a small hammer and other tools at a workbench.
Close-up of a woman with a calm expression, looking to the side outdoors with a blurred green background. Beauty campaign, Strivectin
A young man in a yellow t-shirt sitting outdoors, being embraced and kissed on the temple by a woman with dark hair and white beads in her hair, on a sunny day with a green fence and trees in the background.
Two children, a boy and a girl, playing on swings in a backyard with trees and a shed.
A young girl with sunglasses and colorful clothing standing on a walker outdoor on a grassy field with trees and a farm in the background.
A young man is rollerblading on a low ledge at a skatepark while another person holds a skateboard nearby. There is green foliage and a metal fence in the background.
Woman smiling while sitting on the floor in a gym or fitness studio, surrounded by exercise equipment.
Three teenagers, two girls and one boy, at a subway station looking at a smartphone and smiling. The girl sitting on the bench holds a phone, the girl standing shows a phone to the boy, all wearing backpacks.
Two male firefighters in uniform standing together, smiling, with one arm around each other's shoulders, inside a fire station.
Person jumping on a pebble beach at sunset, with their reflection in a small pool of water, calm ocean, cloudy sky, and wooden posts in the background.
Close-up of a young man with curly hair, beard, wearing a white shirt and gold chain, standing against a blue background.
A smiling woman with dreadlocks and dark skin, wearing a gray blazer and white top, standing outdoors on a city street.
A woman with short dark hair, wearing a cream-colored blazer and jewelry, is smiling and covering her mouth with her hand while standing outdoors.
A young woman with long, curly brown hair smiling on a wooden deck with greenery and distant hills in the background.
A woman with braided hair watering a potted plant on a kitchen counter.
Two young girls smiling and hugging each other outdoors, sitting on a light blue metal bench with a wooden fence in the background.
People playing in a snow-covered park in an urban area, some standing, some sitting, with a person lying on the snow in the foreground.
A smiling woman with curly blonde hair wearing a black knit beanie with a pom-pom, a black jacket, and a plaid scarf, standing outdoors in a mountainous landscape with a clear sky.
A group of people climbing on a glacier with snowy, icy peaks in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A happy older man and woman smiling and holding hands outdoors in a natural setting with grass and shrubs.
A woman in modest clothing, including a hijab, practicing yoga in a bright room with large arched windows and patterned rugs.
A smiling woman in a black tank top standing on an outdoor bridge or walkway with a glass and metal structure, some trees, and city buildings in the background.
A woman with braids applies lotion or cream to her face with her right hand, eyes closed, in a close-up portrait against a plain background.
Close-up of a young girl with blue eyes, fair skin, freckles, and long brown hair outdoors.
Business meeting in a modern conference room with five people, four seated at a table with laptops, one standing and presenting at a whiteboard, seen through a glass wall.
A classroom scene with a boy in the foreground using a stylus on a tablet, and a girl with a raised hand in the background, along with other students and a world map on the wall.
Smiling man in glasses and a gray blazer sitting at a white table in a modern office.
A young woman with curly hair smiling and gesturing during a conversation, sitting at a table with colorful confetti, in a well-lit indoor setting with a potted plant in the background.
Man in gray Arizona Diamondbacks t-shirt sitting cross-legged on indoor gym floor, smiling, with women in workout attire stretching in the background.
View of a harbor with boats docked, seen from a balcony with wooden railing and a door, during sunset.
A woman with dark hair looking at her reflection in a mirror while touching her face.
Young woman with dark curly hair in an afro, wearing a yellow headscarf, a black puffer jacket with fur trim, and a green hoodie, standing at a doorway with her arms crossed, smiling.
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A young man and woman holding hands and walking in a desert area with a black Ford vehicle behind them. The man is wearing sunglasses, a plaid shirt, tan pants, and boots, while the woman is dressed in a white top, jeans, cowboy boots, and a colorful
Group of young people at outdoor skatepark, skateboarding and socializing, with trees and a blue sky in the background.
A young man in a pink traditional shirt taking a selfie on a boat with a large cave and lush green cliffs in the background. Other boats with tourists can be seen in the water.
A woman lifting a young girl in a tropical orchard with green palm trees and banana plants, and bright sunlight in the background.
Young man with dark hair, wearing a blue denim jacket and jeans, leaning against a vintage Coca-Cola cooler in front of a wooden wall decorated with car hubcaps and wheel covers.
A man with a beard standing on a fire escape balcony of a brick apartment building, talking on his phone.
Barber giving a haircut to a customer in a modern barbershop, with a stylist smiling in the mirror.
A young girl with glasses sitting on a beige armchair playing a violin, holding the bow and the violin close to her face.
A woman with long black hair in a sleek style, wearing a dark silk slip dress with thin straps, standing in front of a sheer curtain. She appears to be practicing yoga or meditating, with her eyes closed and hand in a mudra gesture.
A man in a beige suit and glasses stands next to a vintage film projector in a dimly lit, wood-paneled room with a red curtain and a framed poster for the movie 'Beyond Midnight' on the wall.
A person standing on an outdoor pier at dusk, spinning steel wool to create bright, swirling sparks. There are buildings on the right, and a body of water is visible in the background. Steel wool sparks light up the scene with trails of orange and ye
Aerial view of a busy port with cruise ships docked, colorful shipping containers, cranes, and a city skyline in the background.
A vintage green and white car driving at sunset with a colorful sky in the background.
A woman sitting in the driver's seat of a vintage blue convertible car, wearing a straw hat and a denim jacket, with colorful buildings and greenery in the background.
A person wearing a cowboy hat stands with a horse during sunset, with tall grass in the foreground and a colorful sky in the background.
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Cancer Research Institute · Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation · Boehringer Ingelheim · Nutrafol · Sound Healthcare · Johnson & Johnson · Acadia Heathcare · StriVectin · Ogilvy · Maximum Effort · Casual Films · Global Genes · Janssen · Genentech · Open Swim · Saatchi Wellness · Heartbeat Digital · Moms Demand Action · United Nations

Cancer Research Institute · Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation · Boehringer Ingelheim · Nutrafol · Sound Healthcare · Johnson & Johnson · Acadia Heathcare · StriVectin · Ogilvy · Maximum Effort · Casual Films · Global Genes · Janssen · Genentech · Open Swim · Saatchi Wellness · Heartbeat Digital · Moms Demand Action · United Nations

Featured in:

Collection of various media and news outlet logos, including ABC Good Morning America, People, NPPA, Variety, Daily Mail, Myriad Health, NY1, Feature Shoot, Popsugar, PDN Online, Today's Parent, HuffPost, Patient WORTHY, New York Family, Forward, RARE Revolution Magazine, Good Reads, My Modern Met Media, and Refinery29.

  • "Karen's immense talent for capturing the humanity, joy, and vitality, which must persevere despite the hardship of living with rare disease, is wonderfully complimented by her genuine care, collaborative spirit, and passion for the art of the image." ‍

    —John Ancona. Executive Producer, PUBLICIS HEALTH

  • Powerful Intimate photos show what it's really like to raise kids with diseases.

    —DAILY MAIL

  • "An Extraordinary Storyteller!"

    —NEW YORK FAMILY MAGAZINE

  • “In these moving photos and narratives, Karen Haberberg locates the joy and beauty in children whose lives are too easily relegated to darkness. Her images are not only humane, but also celebratory. They proceed from a great generosity of spirit and an intuitive sense of human dignity.”

    ANDREW SOLOMON, PhD professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University, PULITZER nominee and author of “Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity”

  • Karen's "intimate lens brings a swelling mix of emotions to the reader" and serves as a comforting reminder to affected families that they are not alone.

    NPPA: National Press Photographers Association

  • "Karen is a very talented and professional photographer. I have worked on couple of projects with her where patients living with rare diseases participated in a project. The results were great, the patients felt understood, respected and appreciated. That for me made a difference."

    —Jose Luis Flores, Global Brand Director, BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

  • Haberberg succeeds by "shining a light on the ordinary, everyday moments of those who seem, on the surface, to be unlike ourselves".

    —BOOKS FOR BETTER LIVING

  • With photographers, I look for two characteristics. One is their technical proficiency -- their ability to master the medium in its ever-increasing digital complexity. The other is their talent. Ineffable, unteachable, a gift. On both scores, Karen Haberberg is special. And as far as raw talent goes, Karen is exceptionally gifted. Her gifts are particularly evident in the intimacy of her portraits of children, particularly children (and families) suffering from serious illnesses (see her photo book "An Ordinary Day.") She has the rare ability to engage people in the decisive moment, while showing great respect and sensitivity to the family's often fraught circumstances. So if you ever need someone to capture a particularly intimate and heart-rending dynamic, and turn it into a dramatic and compelling story, then you could hardly do better than to engage Karen.

    —BILL DRUMMY/Founder & Chairman, HEARTBEAT

  • Her ability to showcase "how ordinary life can still be in the midst of medically complex conditions.

    —REFINERY 29

  • "Best Photo & Art Book"

    —GOODREADS

  • Photographer Highlights Genetic Conditions in Stunning Photos.

    —HUFFINGTON POST

  • Powerful Photos of Kids!

    —COSMOPOLITAN

  • "Karen is an incredibly valuable team member. Not only is she a very skilled photographer, but she can also direct live action content and fly a drone and often covers multiple needs on the same job. Her technical ability is amazing; We often need her to vary subject and style or to co-direct, and I’m convinced there isn’t anything she can’t do. Most importantly, she is a lovely person — so easy to open up to. We have over ten years of history working together — road trips, flights, speaking engagements — from swinging flaming whisks to locating every buffalo in Buffalo. Karen has found a way to tell the story of people who can’t speak or children who have a disease so rare, they’ll probably never meet anyone else with it. She is a blend of tenacious and gentle, which yields such rich work and thoughtful process. Additionally, she continues to teach and give back to the creative community. It’s how I found myself ordering take out with one of my favorite playwrights in her final years as Karen offered advice on her photographic diary — all the while listening to her husband with Alzheimer’s share his most valued long-term memories. I’ve worked with many talented photographers over the years, and Karen has a particular skill that is hard to match — she finds a way in to the core, and that story is so precious. She treats that with great respect, so I’m lucky and proud to have her on our team and to be her friend."

    -AMYLIZ PERA, PRODUCER , Open Swim

A girl wearing a pink t-shirt, pink shorts, and a white helmet with colorful design standing outdoors on a sunny day near a white and red painted barrier, surrounded by green trees and bushes.

I’m Karen, a NYC based commercial photographer helping health and wellness, Corporate, Lifestyle, and Hospitality brands build high impact powerful photography and video campaigns. I work with a team of passionate thinkers and doers, dedicated to building with purpose and clarity. Collaboration and creativity drive everything we do.

That’s me on the right on location and my first photo assignment.

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