ABSTRACT
While it is easy to see the appeal of visual methods for academic research and to appreciate the excitement with which researchers grapple with the technical problems that visual methods involve, the world of policy and practice tends to be more cautious in its response. For those working at the forefront of difficult social issues, the priority is for research that is high in credibility and appears, at least, to provide clear directions for policy and practice. Pictures are often located within organisations in public relations sections and seen as lacking the authority and credibility accorded to ‘facts and figures’.
