PHOTOGRAPHIC INQUIRY
The employment of visual data has proved to be a valuable strategy in research studies of qualitative nature. Researchers often use visual materials as main or additional data that serves to enhance the narrative and support the analysis. As researchers explore various topics, photography has been a useful tool in describing settings, people, objects, and social behaviors to cite a few. The following photos are part of a study in which I employed photographic inquiry as an additional method of data collection. The method was utilized in an instrumental case study conducted between 2014 and 2015 in a town located in the West Florida region of the United States. The case study explored the history of a local restaurant that operated in a neighborhood predominantly occupied by African Americans since the early 1900s. The study focused on examining factors that may have determined the longevity of the business in an economic depressed area. As the foundation for the study, the history of the city was examined with emphasis on early diversity during colonial times, emancipation years, race relations, segregation, and the construction of Interstate 110. The study funneled from the overall historical context to specific accounts shared by participants who were residents and business owners in the community during segregation, integration, and interstate construction years. Findings revealed participants’ perceptions of the neighborhood prior and post interstate construction and the perceived impact of multiple factors on community aspects. I utilized photography as an alternative data collection method in combination to more customary approaches (e.g., historical and archival research, interviews, and observations). In addition to photos I produced, I used other photographic materials such as archival images and existing participants’ family photos to incorporate multiple sources of data to my research.
