New ways of seeing: enhancing student learning through community-based collaborative photography

Abstract

The opportunity to participate in a community-based documentary photography project facilitated university students’ ability to develop an empathetic and multifaceted understanding of a complex urban space, gain critical insight into key theoretical debates about the nature of photographic representation, and contribute to a local place-making initiative.This article reflects on the approaches and innovations that have been the key in realising the objectives of this project. Exploration of the relationship between photographic representations and reality provided students a crucial understanding of the active role they as photographers play in the creation of visual narratives. Collaborative critiques of the photographs they were producing helped students make thoughtful decisions about how to depict various aspects of urban life. Innovative ways to facilitate access to people living and working in the city made it possible for students to move beyond surface appearances. An emphasis on producing ethnographic captions and written reflections on the evolving processes of seeing further contributed to student understandings of this urban space and the possibilities for integrating visual and written accounts. Finally, the opportunity to help curate exhibits of their work involved students in a real place-making dialogue and the attendant ethical and political challenges of representing the city in a public venue.