The Challenges of Participant Photography: A Critical Reflection on Methodology and Ethics in Two Cultural Contexts

Abstract

Photovoice and photo-elicitation are two common methods of participant photography used in health research. Although participatory photography has many benefits, this critical reflection provides fellow researchers with insights into the methodological and ethical challenges faced when using such methods. In this article, we critically reflect on two studies that used participatory photography in different cultural contexts. The first study used photo-elicitation to investigate mothers' experiences of infant settling in central Vietnam. The second study used photovoice to explore pregnant embodiment in Australia. Following a discussion of the literature and a detailed overview of the two studies, we examine the methodological challenges in using participant photography before, during and after each study. This is followed by a discussion of ethical concerns that arose in relation to the burden of participation, confidentiality, consent, and the photographing of families and children. To conclude, we highlight implications for using participatory photography in other settings.

Utilizing Photovoice to Support Indigenous Accounts of Environmental Change and Injustice

“…In their study, youth participants took photographs to document their experiences with violence in their community; they then discussed common themes in focus groups with community health providers. Murray and Nash (2017) used photo-elicitation to understand how Vietnamese mothers understand and react to infant crying. They intended to learn the cultural elements and context women in Central Vietnam used to calm their babies and help them fall back to sleep.…”

“…Digital cameras or smartphone cameras can mean that an infinite number of photos can be taken to fill memory space, whereas use of disposable cameras can confine participants to a particular number (commonly around 27 exposures). Additionally, digital photographs may give participants the opportunity to delete or alter their original photos or produce an image that is not possible with film cameras (Murray and Nash 2017). In choosing a camera type, researchers must also consider cost, ease of use, and any additional photography training needed.…”

Mapping Out One’s Own Paths Toward Work: Focus on Experiences of Return to Work After Spinal Cord Injury

“…Yet this can be challenging to achieve depending on the origin of the research project and also due to the burden of participation, i.e. the risk of participation is overwhelming for the participants due to other responsibilities (185). Furthermore, dissemination in a community context is an important part of photovoice (64,133).…”

“…It was seen as especially important to avoid tensions due to power imbalance in the multidisciplinary focus groups. A participatory research study drawing on photovoice raises several ethical dilemmas, for example, in relation to burden of participation and dissemination of pictures (185). Ethical dilemmas were continuously discussed and managed in the group.…”

“…For example, there was a mutual decision about not including pictures in which the participants or other persons were identifiable in the research article. Nash and Murray (185) state that it is important to apply a flexible approach to participatory research, rather than a "one-size-fits-all", therefore it was seen as important to discuss ground rules so that rules were adapted to the members in the photovoice group.…”