Visual anthropology: Changing roles in fieldwork

Abstract

Visual Anthropology, the study of visual systems, is a specialized study of culture involving photographs and films. The main objective of the study is to present the chronological development and changing trends in visual anthropology. Visual anthropology has a long history started with the photography of various cultural aspects by some professional photographers, and then there was an addition of supplementary use of photographs and films in ethnographic description. Later, reflexive, participatory and dialogic movements were introduced to more depth and objective studies, which finally led to the applied interventions with the use of photo voice technique in community-based participatory research to address social, environmental and health issues and problems. The paper provides an in-depth overview of enhancement in visual techniques and methods used for communication of anthropological observations and insights applicable for human welfare.