Personal Reflections on the Use of Photography in an Ethnographic Case Study

In the past photography has been little used in educational research. If it is to play a greater role in the future there will be a need to establish a set of practical and theoretical guidelines. This article describes a practical application of photography to a case study of a newly formed comprehensive school. A broad strategy is presented, giving an outline of photographic techniques and their uses within a qualitative research framework. The approach described is not intended to be a definitive model, merely a modus operandi upon which to focus debate.