Organisation
DAFNI KEK
Methodology
Photowalk
Type of activity / modality
Activity / In presence
Summary
Exploration by Observation is a photowalk workshop that allows participants to participate in a walking activity, during which they receive a main theme and relevant tasks to take photos of interesting moments and objects and, as a conclusion, reflect on their pictures.
Theme
The workshop “Exploration by Observation: Photowalk” uses the methodology of photowalks, an organised social activity where the participants take pictures of their surroundings and create collections of interesting tableaus. During this workshop, art is used to enhance self-help and the self and for psychological support. Participants are asked to participate in a walking activity, during which they are asked to take photos of interesting moments and objects, according to a main theme, and to reflect on their pictures. The workshop can take place in person.
Participants
The workshop was initially developed for Ukrainian female refugees living in Athens with their children. Still, it is suitable for diverse groups of participants and age groups and can also be adapted to include underage participants.
Objective
The objectives of the workshop are:
- To comprehend the city as a second home (taking into account many details, such as walking through historical and industrial parts of the city, connecting history and noticing the details that form the city);
- To discover the city and the self in the city through unique information;
- To learn about the city by observing and interacting with it;
- To overcome difficulties and find the motivation to continue the route, drawing a parallel with life itself and its challenges;
- To introduce mothers with young children to hidden gems of the city;
- To have a guided walk in famous, historical and commercial parts of the city, noticing the details and taking photos of the most impressive things.
Materials
The materials needed for this workshop include a mobile phone or camera for each participant and, optionally, an internet connection. Also, the participants should be informed beforehand that they will be walking a distance and, therefore, must be appropriately equipped with comfortable shoes and clothes and have water bottles and snacks with them, especially if children join.
Preparation
The facilitator leading this workshop should select the locations of the Photowalk in advance according to their popularity and cultural interest. They should also have in hand all the necessary information and interesting facts about the selected locations in order to be able to provide answers to all the inquiries of the participants and to attract their attention. The facilitator should have also prepared short tasks for the participants related to the pictures they have to take (e.g. count the cats/flags/churches/plant pots, etc., that you will see and provide evidence for this). It would be handy for the facilitator to be able to help the participants and facilitate them with taking pictures.
Step-by-step instructions
- Participants walk in central parts of the city or the outskirts, in some places they have found themselves many times in the past or new places;
- The facilitator shares the main theme of the photowalk and stories, hidden gems, historical facts and Greek peculiarities with the participants;
- Participants are asked to take pictures of objects they find curious and attractive. They can also receive tasks related to the main theme of the photowalk and the photos they have to take;*
- Participants reflect on the walk, share photos and explain their points of view.
*The participants can also bring their preschool children in order to make it more convenient for them to participate. So, preschool children are given a task to count objects as they see them during the guided walk: cats, churches, and Greek flags. Mothers receive an additional task: to take a photo of three things: something that made a great impression on them, something that made them sad, and something that made them feel like children.
Evaluation
The last step of the workshop is for participants to reflect on the walk and the new facts they learned, to share their photos and explain their points of view among the group. More specifically, participants can be asked to discuss specific points, such as the differences and the contrasts that they encountered in the neighbourhoods, the upcycling elements (e.g. using old buildings for new purposes), the modern and the older elements of the city side by side, the archaeological sites and the industrial buildings, the destruction and change, and find similarities with their lives. An important element that would be interesting to reflect on is motivation and Also, participants can be asked to reflect on whether their photos relate to the city as they know it based on their experience so far.
Tips – Safety
The locations of interest for the workshop should be carefully selected in order to be appropriate for all the participants, their age, mobility ability, etc. This methodology may not be suitable for individuals with mobility issues. The participants should be informed beforehand that they will be walking a distance and, therefore, must be appropriately equipped with comfortable shoes and clothes and have water bottles and snacks with them, especially if children join. Photowalk is a methodology that can be adapted to suit coherent and diverse groups of learners.
Group size
The group size for this workshop does not matter, but it is more challenging to manage the workshop with the participation of a lot of individuals. Working with a big group of people, it is harder to make people feel safe to share about themselves. 8 to 12 participants would be the ideal group size.
Complexity
The complexity of the workshop can be rated at 2. The facilitator needs to take some time to prepare the walking route, find interesting facts and historical knowledge to be passed to the participants, and prepare the workshop’s reflection phase.
Time
1 hour and a half to 2 hours would be ideal for a Photowalk workshop.
Author(s) – Sources
Nataliya Dovhopol
In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready
In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready
In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready
In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready
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