Participatory photography, sometimes referred to as photovoice, is a method of community arts that combines photography with personal narratives to promote creative expression and grassroots social action. A group of people are provided with cameras and through a series of workshops are offered the opportunity to express their views and experiences as well as document an issue or problem that affects themselves and/or the people and the communities around them. Participants are asked to represent their community and/or point of view by taking photographs, discussing them together, developing narratives to go with their photos, and conducting outreach or other action. It is intended to give insight into how people conceptualize their everyday lives and the circumstances that define them in addition to their vision for the future. Participatory photography contributes multiple and different perspectives than those typically considered in policy-making process. It is also a response to issues raised over authorship and the representation of communities.
Participatory Photography Bringing photography and narratives into the hands of community members in order to contribute different perspectives of community issues, questions, or concerns.