THE BRIDGE BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHY AND SCIENCE: CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY AS A TOOL TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS

Sammanfattning

Motivated by bridging the dichotomy between photography and science, this thesis considers how the selected group of scholar-practitioners view the role of critical environmental photography. Particularly, it surveys whether they think it can be used as a tool for raising awareness of environmental issues and whether it’s significant enough to encourage collaboration between photography and science. Furthermore, the research looks at photography as a sociocultural construction and explores the concept of environmental awareness. The study’s results have been informed by expert interviews and a literature review. This thesis concludes that critical environmental photography has a high potential to be used as a communication apparatus that can enable an alternative outlook on environmental issues, as opposed to the solely scientific point of view. Though, the findings consider that a thoughtful approach is needed, informed by careful research, especially concerning the subjects and people they are involved with. The study has concluded that critical environmental photography has the power to raise environmental awareness if it is used mindfully, with honest intentions, and is informed by careful research.