Photo-Ethnography in a Transforming World: Visual Methodology, Affect, and Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

This academic article explores the landscape of photo-ethnography in the contemporary world, aiming to review, synthesize, and discuss the complex relationship among the photograph, photography, ethnography, and socio-cultural understanding, particularly in the context of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence. The article emphasizes that the photograph is not a neutral witness but rather a construction of reality that is inseparable from subjectivity and power. Photographs also possess an affective dimension, serving as living things connected to memory, and the healing of grief. Photo-ethnography is not merely about what the image represents, but an access to the experiential dimension that is invisible to the naked eye.  Thus, the use of photographs during conversations and interviews, or Photo-Elicitation, is a strategy for accessing this non-representational dimension. Furthermore, with the advent of digital technologies and AI, researchers must adapt to the hybrid field of digital and physical spaces, and learn to utilize digital technology and AI as research tools. The article proposes that researchers can apply artificial intelligence as a tool in photo-ethnography to test for cultural and historical biases reproduced through AI-synthesized photographs. The method is called synthetic ethnography. This must be achieved while maintaining profound interpretation, rigorous reflexivity, contextual sensitivity, and ethical responsibility during fieldwork.