What Is Photovoice?

Photovoice is a participatory method that allows research participants to share their experiences and perspectives through photography (Wang and Burris 1997). It entails distributing cameras to participants and training them to photograph their lives and communities based on collective themes, followed by group actualization and discussions about the images captured. Typically used to empower and amplify the voices of marginalized communities, the methodology is a tool for social change as it can facilitate actions for addressing social issues (Padilla et al. 2019). It is a form of action research bridging the gap between theory and practice (Kampadoo and Deshong 2021). And as a relatively recent methodology that started in the nighties, photovoice takes a postmodernist approach meaning 1) the researcher is not removed from the participant’s experience, 2) the participants are equal collaborators, and the group is encouraged to reassess and reevaluate meanings (Wang and Burris 1997). Lastly, i

ts artistic nature makes it a more accessible methodology for disseminating research information to a diverse audience of academics and non-academics.

Reference

Kempadoo, Kamala, and Halimah A. F. Deshong. 2021. Methodologies in Caribbean Research on Gender and Sexuality. Ian Randle Publishers.

Padilla, Mark, Armando Matiz-Reyes, José Félix Colón-Burgos, Nelson Varas-Díaz, and John Vertovec. 2019. “Adaptation of PhotoVoice Methodology to Promote Policy Dialog among Street-Based Drug Users in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.” Arts & Health 11 (2): 147–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2018.1444647.

Wang, Caroline, and Mary Ann Burris. 1997. “Photovoice: Concept, Methodology, and Use for Participatory Needs Assessment.” Health Education & Behavior 24 (3): 369–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019819702400309.