Visualizing Tensions in an Ethnographic Moment: Images and Intersubjectivity

Images function as sources of data and influence our thinking about fieldwork, representation, and intersubjectivity. In this article, I show how both the ethnographic relationships and the working method of photography lead to a more nuanced understanding of a healing event. I systematically analyze 33 photographs made over a 15-minute period during the preparation and application of a poultice (topical cure) in a rural Andean home. The images chronicle the event, revealing my initial reaction and the decisions I made when tripping the shutter. By unpacking the relationship between ethnographer and subject, I reveal the constant negotiation of positions, assumptions, and expectations that make up intersubjectivity. For transparency, I provide thumbnails of all images, including metadata, so that readers may consider alternative interpretations of the images and event.