The photographic practices of young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
My research study aims to explore and analyse how young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) photographically capture the ways they see the world.
The ubiquity of photographs in our visual and digital culture suggests that people share images of their everyday lives routinely and widely on social media platforms. However, while the volume of photographs implies that images are produced, reproduced and consumed in a variety of contexts, this study explores how photography is used by a specific group of people in our society.
The young participants of my study use digital photography in their everyday lives, but they are not necessarily engaging in online communities that share images extensively. Since there are many ways in which digital photography can be included in everyday lives, there is much to be discovered around the cultural form and social practice of digital photography in relation to young people with ASD.
Thus, my research is a participatory, image-based study that seeks to investigate the photographic practices of young people with ASD. As a form of visual communication photography is about sharing and draws on the diverse communication styles of young people with ASD. Moreover, my PhD project proposes to investigate how photography mediates their perception of the world.
By investigating how young individuals with ASD express their particular photographic vision in their everyday practices, this study will present new knowledge and insights to existing academic debates around the artistic and creative practices of people with ASD. Additionally, the study will contribute to knowledge of visual forms of communication and expression and deepen our understanding of vernacular photographic practices through the examination of a specific group.
Main questions:
What are the photographic practices of young people with ASD?
What contributions can these practices make to the individuals’ everyday lives?
Sub-questions:
How do young people with ASD photographically capture the ways they see the world?
Does an increasing proficiency and independence of digital photography enable young people with ASD to share their digital photographs and develop their social awareness, communication and interaction within the visual arts and culture?
To explore and analyse how people with ASD photographically capture the ways they see the world
To analyse how people with ASD relate to and share the photographs they take by drawing on theories of photography and ASD
To contribute new knowledge and insights to existing academic debates around the artistic and creative practices of people with ASD
Self Funded
