It is easy to put too much weight on research that is gathered quantitatively, especially as digital photography encourages people to take multiple pictures of one shot in order to produce at least one image that they are pleased with.
On the other hand, qualitative research is perhaps more useful to sociologists as it shows what might be considered a “truer” depiction of society. Validity and reliability are both concerned with discovering the truth, and understanding the place that accuracy occupies in the production and development of various Visual Methods.
Validity of an image focuses mostly on how the research was gathered, and whether it was appropriate for the subject matter. Validity should never be considered on its own, and images that are created must also be questioned with regard to their reliability before they are understood to be a true depiction. In what circumstances were they taken? Even a family photograph may give a false idea of the circumstances: did people smile simply because they were told to? Alternatively, an image of a child crying may evoke strong feelings in an adult looking at the picture, but without knowing the circumstances in which it was taken it is impossible to tell for what reason the child is crying.
The study of Validity and Reliability in Visual Methods may be concerned with offering a true depiction, but it remains important to study both of these in relation to the context in which the picture was created.
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