Using Photo Stories to Explore the Impact of Your Work
Participants document their experiences, thoughts, or changes over time through photos, drawings, or other visual methods. This can provide rich, personal insights into the impact and meaning of a program.
Example: A youth program asks participants to take photos throughout one week, showing moments that represent how the program affected their confidence and daily life. Participants then share these images along with short captions in a visual journal or slideshow to illustrate their personal growth.
Will photo stories work for you?
Why it works
Can allow for personal expression
Allows participants to capture what matters most visually
Watch out for
- Time and resources: it requires time for participants to take photos, reflect, and write stories. You may need support from facilitators to guide the process effectively
- Technical barriers: needs access to cameras or smartphones (which are expensive) and some basic skills
- Interpretation challenges: photos and stories can be subjective and need careful analysis
- Privacy concerns: sharing personal images and stories requires sensitivity and consent. Be sure to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
Resources
Equipment
Cameras or smartphones (can be participants’ own devices), drawing materials (paper, pens, markers), digital tools or software for creating and sharing visual journals (e.g., slideshow apps), notebooks or journals for captions or notes.
Staff
You will need facilitators to provide instructions, assist with technology or creative processes, support participants with capturing and sharing their stories, and help with collecting and organising materials for analysis.
Cost
Cost is moderate, depending on availability of cameras/smartphones and digital tools. Costs can be low if participants use their own devices and free or inexpensive software is used. However, best practice would be to provide a camera to all participants, which adds significantly to the cost. Printing images also adds to the cost. Drawing materials are generally low-cost.
Ease of use
- Moderately easy to use
- Requires some guidance and support, especially for participants unfamiliar with technology or creative expression
- Flexible and adaptable to different skill levels and preferences
Method
Plan what you are going to do. Prepare materials and consider data management and privacy needs.
Consent forms must be used for people who will be in the photos. Download an example consent form from the University of Stirling.
Introduce the activity, its purpose, and give participants simple cameras, smartphones, drawing materials, or voice recorders.
Offer clear prompts about what to capture (for example, how the programme affected them). See advice on writing prompts
Participants take photos, create drawings, or record stories over time, adding brief captions or explanations to describe their experiences and emotions.
Gather the visual materials and captions, then analyse them thematically to uncover key insights.
Handle sensitive content with care, respecting individual consent. Ensure you are compliant with the UK GDPR. It is likely that the special category data clause would be relevant:
- Consider where you will store photos and documents and who will have access to them
- If participants want their images removed, make sure everyone knows the process for doing this
- Consider what will happen to the images once the project is finished. Ensure you have a clear policy and process for storing and deleting them
Make it accessible
- Provide easy-to-use tools and options: offer simple cameras, smartphones, or drawing materials. Allow participants to choose between photos, drawings, or voice recordings to express themselves, accommodating different abilities and preferences
- Offer clear guidance and support: give step-by-step instructions with examples. Provide assistance with technology or creative techniques to help participants feel confident and comfortable documenting their experiences
- Allow flexible sharing formats: let participants share their stories through photos, captions, audio narrations, or even group presentations, so those with varying communication styles or literacy levels can participate fully
Analysis tips
- Group and categorise: organise photos, captions, and drawings by participant or theme to spot patterns easily
- Identify common themes: look for repeated emotions, experiences, or impacts across stories
- Combine visual and textual clues: use both images and captions together for deeper understanding
- Respect participants’ perspectives: remember meanings may vary, so involve participants where possible. Participants could lead the analysis
Other methods for gathering evidence
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Counting Visitors
The options for counting the number of people participating in your heritage activities, with their strengths and weaknesses highlighted.
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Surveys
Use for collecting insights into opinions, experiences, or impacts. Surveys can be paper, online, or verbal, simple and quick, or more in-depth.
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Informal Group Conversations
Informal group conversations are a relaxed way to explore people's feelings, experiences, and any changes your work has brought about for them.
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Wall of Words
A quick and informal way of capturing immediate reactions of participants at an event through written comments on a shared display.
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Experience Mapping
Participants create visual maps that show their emotions, thoughts, or experiences at different points during a journey such as a programme or event.