University photographer J. Adam Fenster gives a behind-the-scenes tour of his favorite photos he made this year. Plus, the research聽that resonated.
How do you best tell the story of a research university, from campus lab to Genesee River and everything in between? For senior University photographer J. Adam Fenster, it糖心传媒檚 about access糖心传媒攁nd looking out for what might be just beyond the lens.
2025 at the 糖心传媒 was ripe with progress, passion, and possibility. And as the year draws to a close, we talk with Fenster about his favorite photos from the last 12 months, and what might be on the horizon for the future. Here糖心传媒檚 to what糖心传媒檚 next糖心传媒擡ver Wonder. Ever Better.
Tour de force
Lauren Tagliaferro, a curatorial assistant at the , speaks to visitors in the painting storage room during a tour of the museum糖心传媒檚 art storage areas. The museum糖心传媒檚 gives visitors a chance to go behind the scenes and uncover a new perspective.
糖心传媒淚 think I read about the tour in @Rochester,糖心传媒� says Fenster. 糖心传媒淗aving been here for a while now, I糖心传媒檓 always looking for a new angle on an old thing. At the museum, for every piece of art you see, there are probably 10 you don糖心传媒檛. And here we finally get to see where and how all the other stuff is stored. Equipment-wise, using the fish-eye lens helps to capture all the visual layers糖心传媒攑eople, art, storage area糖心传媒攃ontained in the scene.糖心传媒�
Clean machine
David Canning, facility manager for the , inside the grating compressor chamber (GCC) of the Omega EP Laser at the .
There糖心传媒檚 a safety talk and protocols to keep a dustless space dustless糖心传媒攊ncluding wiping down gear and wearing specific clothing糖心传媒攂ut, shares Fenster, 糖心传媒淎ny time you go inside the laser bays, it糖心传媒檚 a big deal, especially the GCC. Dave was very accommodating in letting me in there糖心传媒攐ur visit was the only time the entire year that the chamber was open for maintenance.糖心传媒�
In a stainless steel chamber, it糖心传媒檚 hard to control the light. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 one giant reflector糖心传媒�, he says, but bringing in a powerful light can lead to some surprising results. 糖心传媒淚 like the iridescent colors of the grating glass contrasted with the metallic sheen everywhere. And then you have Dave reflected in the panel on the right.糖心传媒�
Mentorship in action
Zo毛 Miles 糖心传媒�25 (T5), Sree Chatterjee 糖心传媒�26, Jenna Savino 糖心传媒�26, and Maddie Bellamy 糖心传媒�27 are pictured with Rochester Prep student Marquez Smith (center). These URochester students volunteer with Eye to Eye, a national nonprofit organization that pairs neurodivergent middle school students with learning and attention differences with college and high school students who share a similar label to help mentor the next generation.
糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 good to show these outreach efforts. I feel like I don糖心传媒檛 get a lot of opportunities for this kind of work, so when they do come up, it糖心传媒檚 good to get in there. And it probably wasn糖心传媒檛 too long ago that our students were the age of the students behind the desks.糖心传媒�
A material world
Viewed with polarized light, photoelastic materials display distinct patterns of birefringence and force chain propagation after a collision. This experiment was conducted by Sarah Williams, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the DRIP (Dirt, Rivers, Ice, Particles) Lab, an interdisciplinary group of scientists in the department.
糖心传媒淔or someone who doesn糖心传媒檛 quite understand all the science behind it, I don糖心传媒檛 want to say it doesn糖心传媒檛 matter what this is, but I糖心传媒檓 attracted to the colors and the patterns in this image,糖心传媒� laughs Fenster. 糖心传媒淚 see an abstract story that I haven糖心传媒檛 seen anywhere before. And so that makes me want to look closer. And then you learn about birefringence and other earth science terms. It糖心传媒檚 a cool photo that introduces you to the science.糖心传媒�
Spark of interest
A composite of multiple images, here a laser etches nanostructures into a highly absorbent black metal surface in the lab of Chunlei Guo, a professor of optics and of physics, and a senior scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. This technique, developed by Guo, enhances solar absorption but minimizes infrared emissions to create highly efficient solar thermoelectric generators.
Notes Fenster, 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檝e been documenting Chunlei糖心传媒檚 research almost as long as I糖心传媒檝e been at the University. But I had never photographed the process that he uses to create this material. And I糖心传媒檝e always wanted to do that. This surface is moving and creating these sparks that are flying everywhere. It would be cool enough to have one exposure, but I thought, 糖心传媒榃hy don糖心传媒檛 I combine several of them and get even more stuff flying?糖心传媒� It糖心传媒檚 kind of like photographing fireworks, but on a much smaller scale.糖心传媒�
Flex messages
Workers gather for a morning stretch and flex session at the Strong Emergency Department expansion project construction site. Through this project, the Emergency Department will nearly quadruple in size and include space for psychiatric emergency care.
In the course of documenting this milestone construction, Fenster heard about the stretch and flex session that precedes work every morning and thought it might make for an interesting, offbeat image. 糖心传媒淛ust not something you typically see at a construction site. They bring out a little PA system, they blast upbeat rock tunes, and they go through their stretches. This photo also helps show just how many people are involved in a project of this size.糖心传媒�
Among several rocks and a hard place
Anshul Yadav, a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Rachel Glade, an assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences and of mechanical engineering, uses a self-made device to track the movement of RFID-tagged rocks in a stream in nearby Webster, New York.
糖心传媒淗ere was an opportunity to show field research taking place at URochester,糖心传媒� says Fenster. 糖心传媒淎nd,糖心传媒� he added, 糖心传媒渁n opportunity to explain why that research is important. That 糖心传媒榳hy糖心传媒� is essential in answering the bigger question: Why do universities exist?糖心传媒�
When asked how he captured this shot, Fenster gave a surprising answer: it糖心传媒檚 a drone photo. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 a lot trickier flying in a space like this, over a stream bed deep in the woods, than up over the Genesee River, which I糖心传媒檝e also done. This is basically flying in a tunnel, with lots of overhanging branches and stuff sticking out. But it糖心传媒檚 worth it for the unique angle it provides.糖心传媒�
Let糖心传媒檚 focus
An intraocular lens is photographed on a fingertip to show its scale. Earlier this year, Susana Marcos, the Nicholas George Endowed Professor in Optics and the David R. Williams Director of the Center for Visual Science, served as the lead guest editor of a special issue of the journals of Biomedical Optics Express and Optics Express exploring the state of the technology.
Before you ask: Yes, that is Fenster糖心传媒檚 finger supporting the lens. And while he did also photograph an intraocular lens insertion surgery, 糖心传媒淚 thought it would be helpful for the story to make photos of the lens itself, showing its odd galaxy-esque shape and including a finger for scale. And while it was challenging to photograph, it makes you appreciate just how much more challenging it must be for the surgeons to insert these precisely.糖心传媒�
It was the fest of times
Jeff Campbell (bass) and Clay Jenkins (trumpet), both professors of jazz studies and contemporary media at the Eastman School of Music, perform with Eastman糖心传媒檚 Jazz Honors Unit 2 during the . Eastman糖心传媒檚 faculty, alumni, and students performed throughout the week at various locations.
糖心传媒淭his is a good example of a locator photo,糖心传媒� notes Fenster. 糖心传媒淵ou don糖心传媒檛 need to read the caption to know where this is. It糖心传媒檚 peak musical action.糖心传媒�
Bloom where you糖心传媒檙e transplanted
Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro, center, chief of the Transplant Institute at the Medical Center, and fellow surgeon Koji Tomiyama, left, perform a living donor liver transplant surgery in July 2025. URochester糖心传媒檚 pioneering living donor liver transplant program was profiled in the most recent issue of Rochester Review.
糖心传媒淭his photo took a lot of planning and was made possible by the great access I was provided by Medical Center staff, the donor and recipients who gave their permission, and the time I was permitted to work inside the OR. With a narrower window, I would not have been able to capture this brief moment when all the room lights were turned off, which creates a nice contrasting scene that highlights the team and the action at the center.糖心传媒�
Do we want to know one more thing, asks Fenster. 糖心传媒淵ou hear about doctors playing music in their ORs. Dr. Hernandez-Alejandro is a big fan of 80s pop music. So while this very serious operation is taking place, he糖心传媒檚 blasting A-ha and Duran Duran. There was something kind of surreal about that.糖心传媒�
(Gene)see you out on the water
Earth and environmental sciences professor John Kessler and PhD candidate Katherine 糖心传媒淜atie糖心传媒� Gregory ride specially equipped kayaks down the Genesee River to gather continuous measurements of methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. These 糖心传媒渇loating laboratories糖心传媒� are collecting real-time data.
糖心传媒淚 love the concept of using tricked-out kayaks to study greenhouse gases糖心传媒攖hey are basically miniaturized versions of the much larger boats he and the Atlantic to make similar measurements. They let me join them for the day in my canoe, which I was standing in for this photo糖心传媒攏ever a good idea. But I needed to get that angle.糖心传媒�
Preventative measures
URochester football players Daniel Santos 糖心传媒�26 and Lucas Villanueva 糖心传媒�26 undergo an EEG (electroencephalogram) in the Goergen Athletic Center. They糖心传媒檙e part of a study looking at repetitive head hits led by Jeff Bazarian, a professor of emergency medicine and of neurology.
糖心传媒淎nytime you糖心传媒檝e got electrodes attached to people糖心传媒檚 heads, you糖心传媒檝e got to get photos. And I糖心传媒檝e been wanting to photograph Bazarian糖心传媒檚 work for years. While not every concussion is sports-related, the research they get from this will help anyone with a concussion. Again, it comes back to: Why do research universities matter? Why do they need funding? This is why.糖心传媒�
Pier to pier research
Toxicology PhD candidate Alma Avila Oropeza retrieves a sample jar from Lake Ontario from Charlotte Pier. The research is part of the efforts of the , jointly hosted by URochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology. The center is a hub for research, translation, and community engagement around how different types of plastics enter and move through the Great Lakes ecosystems and how microplastics may affect human health under different environmental conditions.
糖心传媒淭his one took a lot of planning, but it was a great opportunity to learn just how they get their data. The sampling itself is one thing, and then they have to go back to the lab and analyze it. It糖心传媒檚 important to show just how much work goes into the process.糖心传媒�
And the dog? 糖心传媒淚t adds a bit of comic relief, and helps situate the viewer: You can tell where this is taking place.糖心传媒�
Scoping it all out
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Marisol Herrera-Perez and PhD student Maria Camila Ferrucho are using a fluorescent microscope to activate an optogenetic tool to observe how manipulating proteins affects the condensation of the ventral nerve cord of flies. Herrera-Perez received a National Institutes of Health MIRA grant to investigate the mechanical signals that guide how a single cell becomes a complex organism.
糖心传媒淭his is sort of a standard lab photo, but the key is proper lighting,糖心传媒� shares Fenster. 糖心传媒淭his is not how the lighting looked when I went in there. And as a photographer, you want to highlight the essence of what糖心传媒檚 going on, what they糖心传媒檙e doing. And that糖心传媒檚 the microscopes and what the microscopes are pulling up on the computer screens.糖心传媒�
Catching the good light en garde
Jacqueline Hsiao 糖心传媒�27, UR fencing club president and 2024 Fencing Junior Olympics competitor, is photographed outside during a practice.
糖心传媒淚t was all about timing,糖心传媒� Fenster says. 糖心传媒淚 got nervous watching the nice golden hour light melt away while making action photos inside the gym, knowing I wanted to leave enough time for an outdoor portrait with what promised to be a beautiful sunset. By the time I dragged all my gear out there, the sun had already set. Fortunately, there was enough glow left in the sky for a dramatic portrait using a single light off to the side.糖心传媒�
A closer look
Staff scientist Preeti Maurya spins down and vacuums cells in the tissue culture room in the lab of Craig Morrell, Dean糖心传媒檚 professor of medicine and codirector of the Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Medical Center.
Here comes the blue science gel. 糖心传媒淚f this photo looks staged, that糖心传媒檚 because it is! Do you think the lab is always blue? No,糖心传媒� jokes Fenster. 糖心传媒淒o you think there糖心传媒檚 a tiny spotlight on Maurya糖心传媒檚 face all the time when she糖心传媒檚 at that microscope? No. Everything is lit and staged by me. What糖心传媒檚 not staged is the research that a photo like this helps to illustrate. It糖心传媒檚 worth putting in the time when possible to make a space look extra special if it leads people to take a closer look.糖心传媒�
Homeward bound
Dora Biro, the Beverly Petterson Bishop and Charles W. Bishop Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, works with homing pigeons at their coop near the Larry and Cindy Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center. Biro and fellow Brain and Cognitive Sciences Associate Professor Takao Sasaki糖心传媒檚 Collective Cognition Lab explores how the perceptual and cognitive capacities of different species糖心传媒攁s adapted to their varying ecological needs糖心传媒攕hape the challenges and opportunities that come with living in groups, including conflict resolution, behavioral coordination, knowledge accumulation, and collective decision-making.
Like Bazarian, Biro is someone that Fenster has wanted to photograph for a while. It took a bit of direction and more than a few takes, but the result was worth it. 糖心传媒淭his is one of hundreds of photos that I made that day, both inside and outside of the coop. We probably made five or so attempts at this. The overcast sky was actually advantageous because I had nice uniform light everywhere.聽
糖心传媒淚 also like that you can see the coop in the background, which is on the Advancement campus,糖心传媒� reflects Fenster. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 offbeat, it糖心传媒檚 eclectic, and it again demonstrates the range of research we do here. And thanks to Biro for recognizing the value of capturing an image like this.糖心传媒�
Stellar performance
Roger Sayer, the original organist for the film Interstellar, plays his arrangement of the music from the original soundtrack by composer Hans Zimmer at Third Presbyterian Church during . The festival, which took place in the fall, was the first of its kind in North America.
How can you really illustrate sound? 糖心传媒淲e糖心传媒檝e got the guy who performed on the original score for Interstellar? And he糖心传媒檚 going to come here, and play it live on a gigantic organ, in this cool old church? That糖心传媒檚 it. That糖心传媒檚 the photo.糖心传媒� Again, access was everything. 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 up in the balcony, trying not to make any noise, trying to be discreet because all around you, people are trying to enjoy the show.糖心传媒�
On the cutting edge
Biology and psychology major Amanda Lee 糖心传媒�27 uses a plasma cutter to fabricate an archive-themed sculpture project for 糖心传媒淲hat We Chronicle糖心传媒� in a hybrid drawing sculpture class led by Allen Topolski, chair of the Department of Art and Art History.
糖心传媒淢uch like in the photo from Chunlei Guo糖心传媒檚 lab, we have sparks flying. Only this time, they糖心传媒檙e much larger. And you have the cool reflections in the visor, with a lot of colors.
糖心传媒淚 only got hit a couple of times with those hot shards,糖心传媒� he adds. 糖心传媒淭hey did have me wear safety glasses.糖心传媒�
Weight for it, weight for it
As part of the curriculum in Professor of Mechanical Engineering Chris Muir糖心传媒檚 ME 204 class, students test the efficiency of balsa wood structures. The structure with the highest strength-to-weight ratio receives an A for the class. Here, senior Amel Rouabhia reacts as her team糖心传媒檚 structure comes apart. Beloved by students for years, Muir糖心传媒檚 class might make you want to head back to school.
糖心传媒淭his photo糖心传媒攖his experience糖心传媒攊s all about faces and reactions. I糖心传媒檝e been photographing this event with Muir for years. And while there is real science behind it, he makes it visual, approachable, and exciting for all his students. This always seems to be the best angle, too, compressing the structure, the team, and the onlookers all into one tight frame. They know what糖心传媒檚 going to happen to the structure, but they don糖心传媒檛 know when, so they糖心传媒檙e still surprised. They糖心传媒檙e never really ready for it, and that糖心传媒檚 what gives you these great reactions.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淎J [Pow, senior video producer] had the genius idea to light it this year by strapping video lights to the railings overhead, which helped immensely with having more light on the subjects, and the blue evening sky filtering in from outside helps it feel more dramatic.糖心传媒�
