Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture

Studying the role of documentary photography in the representation of culture with ethnographic approach in Iran

Document Type : .

Author

ZOHREH SEHAT

Instructor/Training Assistant, Art Department, Institute of Higher Education in Art, Shiraz, Iran

10.30465/ismc.2026.51511.2939
Abstract
Introduction
Culture is the creation of a human group. Families and work groups are known as the places where culture is formed. Culture is a set of learned behaviors, beliefs, habits, and traditions that are common among a group of people. Culture may be introduced into a society by other people.
Ethnography means a description of people and cultures. In fact, the researcher provides an objective description of the current situation in a society in the third person.
Documentary photography is one of the oldest and most important genres of photography, which aims to record and represent objects, events, and various scenes in our environment in a realistic manner. Photographs are very important as a source of information about what happened in the past in terms of their application and scope. Documentary photography has had and continues to have a special place and application throughout the history of Iranian photography. The introduction of photography to Iran dates back to the time of Nasser -Din Shah Qajar.
Given that culture has anthropological roots and photography has a special focus on anthropology, and given that anthropology formed a significant structural link with photography in the late 19th century, photography provided the opportunity for further study in the field of discovering the relationships between image and culture, images and power, and how humans interact within social structures.
In this study, an interpretive ethnographic approach was used. The interpretive approach to ethnography is a middle ground, neither simply explaining nor seeking change or transformation. The goal of interpretive ethnography is to discover the meanings of the observed social interactions.
Materials & Methods
This research addresses the question of how the role of documentary photography in representing culture with an ethnographic approach has been. The research method is qualitative with a descriptive-analytical approach to the use and application of documentary photography in representing culture with an ethnographic approach, an interpretation of an important photography movement, namely documentary photography in Iran. Because photography is not just a simple tool, but rather provides a unique visual language to represent various human customs, emotions, cultures, and civilizations, the researcher serves as a key tool in data collection.
The research community was selected using a purposive sampling strategy of photographs of Iranian photographers who have been continuously engaged in documentary photography in contemporary Iran for at least ten years and have a special cultural representation in their works. In this sense, they can provide us with targeted awareness in the field of the research subject.
The sampling method was a purposive mixed sampling method based on the intended characteristics of the research, the researcher's mind, and her approach to the research topic with a homogeneous approach with the aim of reducing diversity and facilitating the analysis of findings in the study group (documentary photographers). Then, sampling was carried out from within the information.
The type of qualitative data is visual, which includes images (photos) in the form of indirect observation. Indirect observation, both as a subject and as a method, refers to the use of visual media to achieve research objectives. Qualitative data is in the form of words or images, not numbers.
Discussion & Result
The researcher is the data collection tool in qualitative research. In this research, the researcher used research literature, etc. as a data collection tool. On the other hand, photography has a long history in anthropology and ethnography, the camera is the means and tool for data collection in this research.
Qualitative data analysis is by Thematic Content Analysis. Thematic Content analysis uses interpretation to the minimum extent possible. It uses it only for naming and grouping themes. For coding, theme analysis, the software MAXQDA has been used.
Conclusion
By analyzing six photographs of Iranian documentary photographers who have dealt with cultural description in the ways of realistic description, confessional description, and impressionistic description with an ethnographic approach. It was found that documentary photographers in Iran have been able to represent, through an ethnographic approach and indirect observation tools such as cameras, aspects of these symbols, signs, and icons that show parts of everyday culture, customs, and traditions, as well as social, political, cultural, and economic changes in society. Finally, we can look at material forms such as tools (musical instruments, war tools, means of transportation and agricultural tools), buildings and cities, types of food and drinks and clothing (types of clothes, shoes, hats, etc.), and behavioral manifestations such as rituals and ceremonies, customs and traditions, celebrations and festivals, rituals, folk games, social and customary habits, music and speech manifestations such as beliefs, beliefs, knowledge and philosophy which are expressed in the form of words and sentences.

Keywords

Documentary Photography
Ethnography
Cultural Representation
Realistic Description
Confessional Description
Impressionistic Description
Subjects
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Interdisciplinary Studies in Media and Culture
Volume 16, Issue 1 - Serial Number 31
1 (Spring& Summer)2026
September 2026
Pages 235-265

  • Receive Date 21 March 2025
  • Revise Date 08 February 2026
  • Accept Date 09 February 2026
  • Publish Date 23 August 2026

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