Visual Research Methods - Ch. 7 Inner City Children In Sharper Focus

Chapter 7 of Visual Research Methods is entitled, “Inner City Children in Sharper Focus”. Total pun intended as this chapter is about using photo elicitation with inner city children. The author gives these children disposable cameras to take home and document their lives or the things that are important to them. The children taking photos introduce the author into their worlds and surroundings.

Many times, there can be shortcomings when interviewing children. Sometimes limited information is gathered as kids have been socialized to “answer right” or don’t speak for fear of saying the “wrong thing”. Photo elicitation or photo voice techniques allow the child to have a voice in what they want to share with you. Sometimes parents tried to control what was being photographed! Through the interview processes, the author found that even though the parents worked hard and were away often, they usually made time to be present when the time came to interview the children about their photos. This participation can unexpectedly at times lead to further data collection and insight into the lives of these children.

Sometimes these photos can inform of intersectionality within their lives. For example, in the chapter it is seen through the view of photos how boys and girls are treated regarding freedom and responsibility. There are photos taken from inside the house looking out, taken by little girls. On the other hand, photos taken by boys are often outside. These photos show the gender differential treatment within that neighborhood.

Often times people think that poor children can’t or don’t live lives filled with richness or cultural capital, but that can be a generalization or stereotype. Even the parents of some of these children in the photo project didn’t realize this because they work so much! Giving the child participants a voice to tell their story can generate so much data, in a way that you may not have been able to do yourself!