Self Evaluation
The defining characteristic of
visual research is that it requires images only as its source of information. All
that can be understood from the image comes from within itself with no need for a worded explanation.
John Collier argued that using an image to support written findings presented
only a preconceived selective perspective of reality. He believes that images
on their own contain enough detail to record significant analysis and
projections of social interaction and material culture (Harper, 2005, 23).
Roland Barthes perceived an image to withhold
two variations of interpretation. Firstly the studim, the contextual aspects of
the image provide an informative view and an atheistic value towards the
picture. He argued that this interpretation of images is open to all who share
similar cultural codes. The second form of interpretation Barthes identified is
the punctum. Where an image evokes an emotional reaction from someone causing
them shock, fear, excitement and so forth. Barthes perceived this emotional
reaction to be personal to the individual. So on two levels Barthes saw the
general interpretation of the context of an image as communal and the reaction
the image caused to an individual as personal (Cronin, 2005, 63). To gain these
versions of interpretation however the image must first be interpreted.
On considering how a person interprets
an image two theories are present. The symbolic folk myth suggests that an
image by itself is empty. It gives no information. It requires someone to use
what data it holds to their own understanding to reflect its meaning. The
realist folk myth expects images to replicate reality. To present an accurate
portrayal of that moment in time. Cronin argues that following investigation on
a group of adults all participants possessed the ability to engage both types
of folk myth theories into their interpretation of images (Cronin, 2005,
66,67).
A significant aspect of visual
research is the researcher. When proposing a final investigation the end product
is a reflection of the researcher. Images that are included are those which
have been internally validated as significant. A personal perspective on the
importance of the data in the selected images is imposed. To be able to provide
a final outcome the photographer must consult their own speculation and opinion
as to how the data in an image is to be interpreted (Adelman, 2005, 134,5).
On the
offset of this project my intention was to photograph the exterior of a
selection of Hebridean dwelling places examining how the culture of the human
inhabitants had changed over time. I planned to take snaps of ‘home's’ dating
back from the Iron age right up to the present day to uncover what developments
the civilisation had made over the generations. Bazin theorised that
'photographs, like statues and other icons, exist in order to create an ideal
world which has its own trajectory through time' (Cronin, 2005, 64). I intended
to be able to display the history of cultural and civilised development through
the use of images of the 'home' exterior.
I
commenced the research using a grounded theory approach. By this I mean that I
did not know what discourses I would be able to extract from the images. I did
not have a specific question for research in mind just an idea that I could
gather some data relating to human activity from the images collected. I began
by capturing images of a few dwellings from different time periods and then
brainstorming some notes alongside them as I added each group of pictures to my
blog.
During
the research a number of elements arose that caused a large hindrance to
productivity. The biggest problem I discovered was the weather. Whilst choosing
my project topic I completely overlooked that fact that it would require being
outdoors and that we were heading into rough winter conditions. This limited
the amount of time and ability I had to gather data with my time slots for
photography disappearing into short days and ferocious gales.
The
second issue I encountered was myself. Looking at the images I had gathered I
became increasingly aware of 'my own opinion'. from the houses photographed to
the content included in each image, it was all my taste, what I thought might
be interesting or important. I was trying to capture shots that would give me
some of the information I felt I was
looking for to create my development and progress timeline. Adleman says 'The
person with the camera 'follows' and 'captures' the significant action only by
prior observation and understanding of the culture' (Adelman, 2005, 135). In a
sense I was detached from my grounded theory approach and gearing my research
to meet my own ends.
Commencing with snaps of 'homes'
I perceived to be of interest to the project. There was soon a steady
repertoire of various dwellings gathering on the blog. The brainstormed notes I
had applied to most of the images highlighted elements that I deemed
'significant'. Following this there was a block in my thinking. I had extracted
data but was unable to understand what information it possessed. It appeared
random and chaotic. After following a suggestion I reformatted the data into
tables and miraculously the haze was lifted. The information I had gathered
conveyed numerous sets of discourses, many common occurrences between the different sets of images. This
uncovered potential for further progression in research along various streams
of investigation.
The discourse that's discovery in
the images surprised me the most was that of Modernity. Despite setting out in
the hope that progress would be apparent in the images, I did not initially
realise that it was strikingly dominant. The appearance of the products of
technology such as telegraph poles and power lines, satellite dishes and
aerials showed a stark contrast between the oldest buildings and the more
modern ones. It would have been interesting to have carried this aspect of
research out on a larger scale, photographing a much higher number of dwellings
or perhaps taking shots of the original dwellings at different angles to consider
the effect modernity may have had upon them or their context.
Rurality was also a consistent
discourse. I feel this element in particular produces a valid field of interpretation
of the images. To those unfamiliar with the location of the images the clear
representations of rurality within them, the open grass land, barren landscape
and isolated houses provide an easily understandable geographical sense of
position.
On Summary the experience of carrying out a research project
in this manner was very interesting. For a large part of the duration I
struggled to understand what I was doing because fundamentally I did not know,
it was a process that needed patience., the outcome was to be discovered
gradually. Initially I found this frustrating and uninteresting but on
reflection it turned out to be exciting. The breakthroughs in my thought and
direction happened suddenly and unexpectedly, the picture of where the research
was taking me began to build up around me and ended with several specific ideas
on how I could develop my initial research into a more in depth investigation.
On considering how I would use this type of research in the future, I realised
that I have already begun to apply some of the methods learnt during this
project to my other research coursework.
References
Órla Cronin, Psychology and Photographic Theory, in Imaged Based Research: a source book for
qualitative researchers, 2005, Ed. Jon Prosser, UK Falmer Press, London .
Clem Adelman, photocontext, in Imaged Based Research: a source book for qualitative researchers,
2005, Ed. Jon Prosser, UK Falmer Press, London .
Douglas Harper, An Argument for Visual Sociology, in Imaged Based Research: a source book for
qualitative researchers, 2005, Ed. Jon Prosser, UK Falmer Press, London .
