Concept, Method, & Methodology: Critical Differences

I’ve been thinking recently about how and why photographic works are created. Not the mechanics of it: compose the scene in the frame, focus, and release the shutter. We all know how that works.

What I’m referring to are the fundamental differences between method, methodology, and concept. I’ve never really understood, or, frankly, even thought about them all that much in my own work until now. If I have, I’ve had them hopelessly confused.

Methods are “processes within various stages of photographic practices, from research and planning, the point of capture, to the choice of output and dissemination.” Essentially, these are the “what” (i.e. what individual things were necessary to complete the project?).

Methodologies are not techniques or specific processes per sé, but are, instead, a system of applying various methods or analyses and discussions that pertain to a certain group of methods. This is the “how”—the overarching “blanket” illustrating how all the pieces came together.

Concept may well be the most misunderstood of the three terms since it’s often used interchangeably and mistakenly with methodology. As stated in the lecture notes, concept is about “describing and defining the rationale, the intention, purpose or even a retrospective analysis” of a methodology.

The concept of a project or body of work is often best expressed in an artist’s statement or statement of intent, a gallery press release, or an essay in a photobook that provides context for a project. However, it’s very important to keep in mind that concepts (note the plurality!) can be many and can develop and change over time as the work progresses.

In fact, (and this is good for me) just beginning a project with nothing more than interest, gut intuition, and the desire to achieve a cohesive project or body of work in the end is often all that’s necessary. No fine-tuned concept is required upfront. Just the desire to follow your interests and experiment with camera in hand and try out as many ideas as possible.

As Victor Burgin said:

“Shoot first and ask questions later.”

(Victor Burgin [1998] in CAMPANY, 2003: 281)