When respondents become photographers. Participatory photography: Characteristics, implementation, and interest for research in marketing

Abstract

This work explores an underemployed visual method in marketing research called participatory photography, in which participants take their own photos for the needs of the research project. This hugely appropriate method of interpretive research stands apart from classic photo-elicitation by accentuating respondent participation and using photography as a mode of knowledge to enable a better consideration of the embodied dimension of consumption experiences and an in-depth analysis of how individuals interact with their social and material environment. Here, we connect participatory photography to other visual techniques and provide guidance on putting it into practice, with an emphasis on data production and analysis. The article identifies the domains of marketing in which this method can prove most insightful.