Review: Caruana & Fox, Behind the Image: Research in Photography, Chapter 2: Developing Ideas through Research, 2012

The chapter opens with the suggestion that Google and the internet are not the only means of conducting research.  “Libraries are extraordinary places,” the authors enthuse, perhaps for those who have never been to one.  Other suggested real life sources are specialist libraries, archives, museums, galleries, lectures, and meetings of photography clubs/circles/societies.  For those that have never encountered the internet, advice is provided on managing bookmarks and using such tools as blogs and social media.

Two case studies are presented.  Sally Verrall makes art installations which result in photographs of the work.  Her process requires research of the space in which her work will be installed, including measurements of the available space and line drawings to calculate from where to photograph to produce desired effects.

Neeta Madahar made a series of photos exploring female youth and glamour based on a 1935 series.  The newer series required her to work in collaboration with her models, set designers and make-up artists.  All the images were collaborative and negotiated.

The chapter concludes with the kind of exercise I see often in English language textbooks, an activity that in itself looks interesting but is not really tied to the pedagogical aims of the course.  The authors suggest visiting a garage sale or flea market to purchase some old snapshots, then sequence them to tell a story, AFTER WHICH you can do some research on the photos to check the truth against your own story.

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