A narrative photographic approach: opening day ceremonies for Iran’s Nature Schools

Abstract

Opening Day photographs appeared in Iran’s newspapers celebrating the succession of outdoor Nature Schools commencing each year from 2014. Using a narrative photographic approach, this qualitative study collected and analysed newspaper pictures for Iran’s Nature Schools in the half decade to 2017. At this time, government approval reflected careful planning to develop these new outdoor educational opportunities. Seven news media articles were thematically analysed from this period utilising twelve pictures. This photographic method provides another layer of understanding beyond official statements of intention, formal approval or written text. Through the local features of schools, a pattern of national intention and official endorsement can be seen, but also an awareness of invisible rules permitting outdoor learning experiences. What do these images tell us about this environmental opportunity for a new generation of schoolchildren? How do the pictures portray the urban need for the outdoors? Are there clues in these pictures of the subsequent shutting down of these outdoor schools, denying further expansion? These images tell their own story alongside formal narratives embodied in official Opening Day ceremonies and statements. We conclude these schools were meeting a strongly-felt need for the outdoors in highly urbanised contemporary Iran.