Digitally dispersed, remotely engaged: Interrogating participation in virtual photovoice

Abstract

In recent years, pushed particularly by COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns, virtual photovoice studies have emerged as an alternative modality of photovoice. Alongside this trend are questions about virtual photovoice practice and methodological questions of participation. This paper interrogates these questions using an Australian photovoice research with LGBTQ+ multicultural older people. Threading through the photovoice stages of conceptualisation, recruitment, photovoice production and discussions, it discusses participation in relation to both in-person and virtual photovoice literatures, highlights challenges and new opportunities. Reflecting on virtual photovoice as a method and a methodology, it positions virtual photovoice as a comparable choice that researchers can make.

“I’m New to This”: Navigating Digitally Mediated Photovoice Methods to Enhance Research With Older Adults

“…This confluence of topics will gain relevance as the global population ages and the use of technology becomes more entrenched. With thoughtful planning and resourceful creativity, digitally mediated photovoice with older adults—or other groups who experience barriers to in-person contact— may contribute to research with mutual benefits (Black & Faustin, 2022; Chen, 2022). However, this is only true if participatory action research principles like power sharing, participant-led discovery, and rapport, anchor and guide researcher actions.…”

“…Our findings illustrate how digitally mediated photovoice may preserve and extend the strengths of traditional photovoice when in-person contact is restricted: guided by feminist and participatory action-research principles, digitally mediated photovoice built rapport with participants, generated richly illustrative data, and facilitated opportunity for participants to exercise agency. We add to the growing body of literature that addresses how qualitative researchers incorporate technology into the research process to reshape how we understand intimacy and access in researcher-participant relationships (Chen, 2022; Ferlatte et al, 2022; Hein et al, 2011; Rania et al, 2021; Teti et al, 2020).…”

How to build rapport in online space: using online chat emoticons for qualitative interviewing in feminist research

“…According to other empirical studies, qualitative researchers applied interesting approaches to create a rapport such as using photo-elicitation, fieldwork, digital approaches, or visual methods (Chen, 2022;Kim et al, 2021;Smith et al, 2012). Smith and co-authors (2012) realized that unremarkable photographic contents showed significant outcomes with student participants.…”

“…Researchers in earlier empirical studies have mainly focused on how to create rapport between interviewer and interviewee on virtual world or to conduct virtual interviews by using digital tools (Chen, 2022; Iloh, 2021; Kim et al. , 2021).…”

“…Researchers in earlier empirical studies have mainly focused on how to create rapport between interviewer and interviewee on virtual world or to conduct virtual interviews by using digital tools (Chen, 2022;Iloh, 2021;Kim et al, 2021). Moreover, interestingly, in Oakley's (2013) study, the author has listed several items to break the ice for informal and conversational interview with women (e.g.…”