How to conduct Photovoice

Photovoice

Photovoice aims to add a visual element to participatory processes, and can assist in engaging the community in planning and policy issues.

Photovoice provides tangible evidence of the visual aspects of an issue or proposal (for example, before and after photographs of an eroded beach), and provides a visual record of the suggestions and decisions.

Method:

1. Conceptualising the problem
2. Define broader goals and objectives
3. Recruiting policy makers as the audience for photovoice findings
4. Training the trainers
5. Conducting photovoice training (for participants)
6. Devising the initial theme/s for taking pictures
7. Taking pictures
8. Facilitating group discussion
9. Critical reflection and dialogue
10. Selecting photographs for discussion
11. Contextualising and storytelling
12. Codifying issues, themes, and theories
13. Documenting the stories
14. Conducting the formative evaluation
15. Reaching policy makers, donors, media, researchers, and others
16. Conducting participatory evaluation of policy and program implementation

Uses/strengths:

• Provides pictorial evidence of community issues (a picture being worth a thousand words.
  
• Provides an alternative means of expression which may help include those who are more visual than literate.
  
• Allows detailed information to be collected from individual participants.
  
• Provides a snapshot of an area or issue from which to develop indicators and to gauge changes/responses.
  
• Can easily be used in the media (print/television/interactive A/V technologies.

Special considerations/weaknesses:

• Can be costly, e.g. cost of disposable cameras, developing film.
• Requires staffing and the coordination of participants.
• If photos are pasted onto a larger poster type presentation, can be difficult to store and protect (may need photocopies taken for storage/distribution).