When the image speaks: the transformative power of Photovoice in nursing

Bárbara Badanta1, Maria Catone2

1Universidad de Sevilla, España. 2Universidad de Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Itália.

Its use is of great interest in the area of ​​nursing research, mainly due to the following issues:

1. Delves into the human experience of care and emotions: scientific evidence highlights its usefulness for researching and promoting public health interventions, as it fosters community participation.5,6 It also facilitates the understanding of the emotional, spiritual, and social experiences of patients, family members, and healthcare professionals. The use of images compels participants to reflect on aspects of their daily lives that often go unnoticed due to their routine nature. When collecting the photographs, participants are invited to reflect on them using the questions from the SHOWED method, an acronym widely used in Photovoice projects to guide discussion and critical analysis of the images:

  • S – See: what do you see here?
  • H – Happening: what is happening in this image?
  • O – Our lives: how does this relate to our lives or our community?
  • W – Why: why is this happening?
  • E – Empower or Educate: how can this image educate or empower others?
  • D – Do: what can we do about it?

Depending on the participating population, the benefits and perspectives may vary. For instance, during the pandemic, a study conducted with healthcare professionals revealed not only negative or complex emotions, but also factors related to organizational management, highlighting structural failures and emerging needs.7 At the same time, this technique has proven effective in exploring phenomena such as burnout, anxiety, or mental disorders, promoting their recognition and understanding.8

In patient groups, Photovoice can also function as a therapeutic tool, fostering dialogue and mutual support among participants. This process promotes peer education and strengthens the sense of belonging to a group.

2. Empowers participants and gives them agency: Photovoice aligns with the democratic principles of collaborative creation and broadens the concept of what knowledge is and who can generate it.9 The themes are co-created between researchers and participants, promoting a shared learning process that moves away from conventional hierarchical research methods.

3. Fosters empathy and critical reflection: the use of visual techniques promotes self-awareness and helps to reduce negative attitudes towards certain diseases or groups.10 Photovoice also invites nursing professionals to critically reflect on their practices, biases, and emotions through expressive means.

4. Methodological flexibility and innovation: the time spent explaining the procedure, the photographic work duration, the minimum number of photographs, and the SHOWED method can all be adapted to participants’ characteristics. Moreover, Photovoice can be combined with other qualitative approaches, such as ethnography, phenomenology, or grounded theory, and may even be used in studies where participants might have difficulties being included, such as in cases of visual impairment, through collaboration with proxies who capture images on their behalf.

5. Improves nurse training: the use of Photovoice as a teaching methodology moves towards active and participatory learning.11,12 This allows students to “see the world through the eyes of another”, facilitating critical understanding and empathy, key elements in nursing education.13 In some experiences, the patients or participants themselves can act as role models, bringing their photographs into the classroom and participating alongside students in the group discussion, which enriches the learning experience.

6. Dissemination and transfer of knowledge: the results of Photovoice projects can be presented in formats accessible to non-specialized audiences, such as patients, communities or public policy makers. Photographs and reflections can be transformed into exhibitions, educational materials, theatrical works, or audiovisual resources, broadening the social reach of the research. With current technological advances, it is even possible to combine images with digital or artificial intelligence tools to generate simulations or interactive materials that multiply their impact.

Conclusion

Photovoice represents a versatile methodology that combines qualitative research, community participation, and artistic expression. In the field of nursing, its application not only enriches the understanding of the caregiving experience but also strengthens the training, empathy, and reflective capacity of participants. Its potential to democratize knowledge production and humanize healthcare practice makes it a valuable methodological resource for research, teaching, and social transformation.

References

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Corresponding Author

Bárbara Badanta

E-mail:  bbadanta@us.es

The Author(s) 2026.  This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. License text for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/