Visual Method Essay Example

as impartial tools that can objectively capture social behavior and visible 'givens'. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that images, like written accounts, are not naturally 'transparent'. While film, video, and photography do have a direct connection with the subjects they portray, they are still representations of reality rather than a direct encoding.

Visual media, including representations in art and photography, are shaped by their social, cultural, and historical contexts throughout their creation and consumption. This necessitates visual sociologists and anthropologists to take on a dual perspective. They examine the content of visual representations, such as deciphering the significance of particular design elements on artworks or recognizing individuals captured in photographs.

When scholars analyze visual representations created by others, they examine the art object's context and content, such as its producer and intended audience. They also investigate the reasons behind capturing a particular photograph and its preservation. However, when investigators produce their own visual representations, there is a risk of prioritizing content over considering the context.

The emergence of the 'direct cinema' movement in the 1960s aimed to expose behind-the-scenes aspects of filmmaking in documentary film. This approach, influenced by Barnouw (1974), Rosenthal (1988), and Loizos (1993), intentionally included filmmakers' equipment or even themselves within the frame. These concepts were also adopted in ethnographic film practices to create a stronger connection between human subjects and viewers. In contrast, achieving more introspective or contemplative portrayals with still photography may be slightly more challenging.

In his work, Doug Harper, a visual sociologist, has successfully combined text and image to provide commentary on each other (Harper 1987; see also Berger and Mohr 1975). It

is crucial to acknowledge that visual representations are created and consumed within a social context, which resembles representations found in television and cinema for film and video.

When attending a screening, audience members have certain expectations concerning the narrative form, plot development, and composition quality. These expectations may be unconscious or vague but are still present. It's worth noting that a film can be interpreted in various ways and shouldn't be limited to just one reading. Stuart Hall, a sociologist, has discussed the concept of "preferred readings" in films (Hall 1977), while an anthropological study on ethnographic films shown to students challenges the belief that such films promote empathy and bridge the gap between oneself and a drastically different culture (Martinez 1990).