Review: Caruana & Fox, Behind the Image: Research in Photography, Chapter 1: Planning, 2012

Research in Photography is included in the Essential Reading list of OCA’s Digital Photographic Practice course.  I thought I would read it a chapter at a time over several weeks or months, but on actually beginning reading I found the 176 page book is perhaps half images, the text written at a rather elementary level, and the ideas dished out in tiny dollops.  In other words, you can get through it pretty quickly.  I expect I’ll finish it by the end of the weekend.

From the Introduction
Photographic work is developed through knowledge gained in exploring the medium: investigating histories and theories of photography, observing the world, reading and listening, taking part in debate, critical reflection and numerous other activities.  p6


Ch 1:  Planning
All photographic series are harvested from research – from scholarly investigations to catching an overheard conversation on the bus. p11

The first stages of this plan will involve looking back and uncovering what brought you to the project in the first place. Where did the initial idea come from? Trace back the idea to your possible sources and use these as your first key areas to research. Do not self-censor or dismiss unexpected sources; include all minute details. p11

The book is written in tiny paragraphs, bite-sized bits of information for a modern audience suffering from attention deficit.  Most of the first chapter offers advice for people who may have never had academic interests – read general histories to find a photographer, period, or movement of interest, find more books on those, and gradually expand your knowledge.  It also suggests reading in theory, as well as keeping up-to-date through magazines and journals.  Mind-maps are introduced as a method of personal investigation, and journals as a means of record keeping.

The more interesting part of the chapter outlines the key parts of a research or project proposal, which are noted below.  I assume these will be discussed in more detail later.

The chapter concludes with a case study, a project by the author, who writes about herself in the third person and describes how she researched the history of a Welsh mining village, which amounted to visits to the village library, reading current issues of the village newspaper, and interviewing locals. Pretty basic stuff.  What might have been more interesting is a copy of Caruana’s proposal, along the lines of the one outlined in the chapter.


Parts of a Proposal

1. Title
2. Theme
3. Audience
4. Approach and Methods
• Equipment, lighting, processing, technical issues
• How research will be conducted
5. Access:  Will you require any special permission to shoot a person or place?
6. Funding:  Requirements and Sources
7. Timetable and Budget
8. Research references:  List of cultural artifacts that will inform your project

• The Book:  Behind the Image:  Research In Photography
• By: Natasha Caruana; Anna Fox
• Publisher: AVA Publishing
• Pub. Date: March 1, 2012
• Print ISBN-13: 978-2-940411-66-5
• Pages in Print Edition: 176

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