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Visual Anthropology: Photography as a Research Method
First published in 1967, Visual Anthropology has become a classic in its field, invaluable not only for anthropologists but for anyone using photography, film, and video to understand human behavior and culture. This completely revised and expanded edition brings the technical information up to date and includes the insights the Colliers have gained from nearly thirty-five additional years of collective teaching and research experience since the first edition.
266 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1986
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About the author
John Collier Jr.
8 books1 followerJohn Collier, Jr. (1913–1992) was an American anthropologist and an early leader in the fields of Visual anthropology and Applied anthropology.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 2, 2012
As a design researcher, I found this book very interesting... mostly in understanding the role that the camera and being in 'photographer mode' can play in establishing rapport and building relationships between researcher and participants. Collier also has some really great quotes in here that talk about the nature of cameras, photography and videos. Great prompts for discussion:
“The camera is another instrumental extension of our senses, one that can record on a low scale of abstraction. The camera, by its optical character, has whole vision.”
“The camera, however automatic, is a tool that is highly sensitive to the attitudes of its operator.”
“Impressions gained with the eye along grow dim, fuse with other impressions, and with time fade away.”
“The camera’s machinery allows us to see without fatigue; the last exposure is just as detailed as the first. The memory of film replaces the notebook and ensures complete quotation under the most trying circumstance.”
“With film or video it is possible to deal precisely with not just ‘what’ but also ‘how’ behavior happens, not only to see but also to understand the sparkle and character of an event, a people, a place.”
“The camera is another instrumental extension of our senses, one that can record on a low scale of abstraction. The camera, by its optical character, has whole vision.”
“The camera, however automatic, is a tool that is highly sensitive to the attitudes of its operator.”
“Impressions gained with the eye along grow dim, fuse with other impressions, and with time fade away.”
“The camera’s machinery allows us to see without fatigue; the last exposure is just as detailed as the first. The memory of film replaces the notebook and ensures complete quotation under the most trying circumstance.”
“With film or video it is possible to deal precisely with not just ‘what’ but also ‘how’ behavior happens, not only to see but also to understand the sparkle and character of an event, a people, a place.”
March 27, 2008
Informative.
Read
July 27, 2011read for a class
September 29, 2012
Too technical for contemporary condition..but still a classic on the topic !
December 22, 2013
A staple read for exploring photography as a research method.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews