A critically methodological approach: reading closely the Instagram profile of a photojournalist

• Published in: Photographies Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 441 - 460
• Main Author: Kaipainen, Sini
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02.09.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Photography; Photojournalism; Qualitative research; Reading; Texts
• ISSN: 1754-0763; 1754-0771
• DOI: 10.1080/17540763.2022.2096678

The present study addresses one possible template for exploring the meanings of photojournalistic self-presentation on Instagram. I employ automedial close reading for the data collected from one Instagram user and his profile in the cases of two professional photojournalists: Ed Kashi and Sebastian Rich. I test and develop the process of close reading in the context of Instagram and professional photojournalism. I am founding this practice on an active, sensitive interpretation process, not code identification, by combining qualitative research and autoethnographic personal narrative. The approach implies a theoretical, conceptual, and contextual reflection with and against the texts and subjects of study. This study frames the automedial production on Instagram as readable texts. Instagram-based research into photojournalism as a profession and practice needs theory-based qualitative approaches, such as close reading, based on small datasets. Whilst its focus is on the methodological approach, the paper opens up perspectives on studying the self-presentational identity work of an Instagram author, showing the value of automedial close reading.