1. About photo-sharing in
Virtual social networks
As indicator of the need to develop
The phototherapy area through the internet
A thesis
Submitted by:
Limor Kriegel
Thesis advisor: Mr. Ronen Kowalski
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of
Master of Arts in Expressive Therapies
Lesley University
Graduate School of Arts & Social Sciences

2. March
2010
Thesis Abstract
Limor Kriegel
March 2010
About photo-sharing in virtual social networks as
Indicator of the need to develop the phototherapy area through the
internet
The present research aims to examine if there is a need to establish infrastructure for
phototherapy through the internet, based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with
participants in social networks integrating photographs.
The need for this research stemmed through the existence of photography as therapy,
which acquired a stage on the platform of the existing social nets on the internet and is
motivated by them.
The premise of this research relied on the perception that if there is vast human
phenomenon of "art as therapy" then it is possible and it is necessary to use that
phenomenon and develop possibilities for art therapy.
The findings of this research strengthen the hypothesis that photography as therapy on
the internet does exist at present, which is why there is high probability that enabling
phototherapy through the internet could provide responsion for the needs of many
people.

3. Table of contents
Chapter 1 Preface
1.1 The rationale of the research
Chapter 2 Literature review
2.1 Photography and therapy
2.2 "It's a small world after all"- on virtual social network.
2.3 Photo sharing on virtual social networks nowadays and its therapeutic
effects
2.4 Cyber psychotherapy
Chapter 3 Methodology
3.1 Description of the research
3.2 The tools of the research
3.2.1 The qualitative research
3.2.2 The semi-structured interview
3.4 Implementation of the methodology in this research
3.5 The limitations of the research
3.6 Ethics
3.7 Analysis of the findings
Chapter 4 Discussion and conclusions
Bibliography

4. Chapter 1 – Preface
The goal of this thesis is to introduce the current phenomenon of photo-sharing on the
internet and examine if people who make use of the internet as their platform for
sharing their photographs, may use the internet to make contact with the art therapist;
namely a process of phototherapy through the internet. This research will attempt to
understand the two aspects of this phenomenon. The first is to try to examine if indeed
photography as therapy takes place at present on social nets and the second is the
attempt to examine if there is a call on the part of the audience to maintain a
framework of phototherapy on the internet, a call that should gain attention. In that
sense, this is an attempt to examine the inclinations of people who use the net as their
platform to share photographs on a frequent and meaningful basis (as per their
subjective sensation).
The first chapter will be divided into three parts and briefly introduce the
history of photography whilst emphasis on the latest developments in the area of
digital photography; the impact of these developments of the population of
photographers and the linkage formed by these developments between the digital
photography and the world of computers and the internet. Later, photography will be
presented as therapy. That part shall introduce the analysis of the psychological
processes connected with the 'creation' through photography and the relationships
between the human being and the photographs.
The second part of this chapter will deal with phototherapy as part of the art therapy
area. As such, is obliged to carry within it the components of psychotherapy, such as
patient-therapist relationships, setting, boundaries and the "sacred" triangle of art
therapy- patient-art work-therapist.
Chapter two in this thesis will discuss the existence of photography as therapy in
social nets on the internet. This chapter shall present three social nets including within
them the platform for photograph sharing; two international nets and an Israeli one.
This chapter aims to show how people use the social net as a motive and as their stage
for photograph sharing. It introduces the technological facility through which it is
possible to use the computer to form contacts through photography. This chapter shall

5. examine the reasons because of which people are exposed within the framework of
social nets and the characterizations of such exposure.
Chapter three shall present the therapeutic options currently existing on the internet,
the characteristics of therapy through the internet, its advantages and disadvantages.
Within its framework, this chapter shall also present art therapy through the internet,
which is presently enabled. The themes this chapter will handle would not include
important questions such as what is the nature of the connection formed between
patient and therapist in this kind of therapy? Does this connection respond to the
principles of dynamic, narrative therapy or any other kind of therapy? What needs
does it respond to and which it is unable to achieve? These important questions were
researched amply during the last few years and in this research, I shall not relate to
them. My wish is to transfer the focus to the more practical area or to the one existing
on the surface: do people feel the need for this kind of therapy and are they expected
to make use of it.
1.1 The rationale of the research
"Poinciana Tree" is the name of the first series of pictures I uploaded on my
photographs' reservoir in my photograph sharing site on the internet called "Flickr"
(http://www.flickr.com) at the beginning of September, 2006 .

6. The texts I attached to these pictures, was connected with the second war in Lebanon,
which ended less than a month earlier:
No craters formed by Katiushas
Would yield Katiusha trees
And no compost for the Tree of Knowledge
No, this is not
A platform for political arrangements
And the soldiers that hatch and emerge
Across the border,
No, they are not
The sprouting of something bigger.
Even if you push aside
Grains of dust to the sides,
Relate to that which is the most trashy
As though it was the sun
And you need to make sure the earth
Shall, mistakenly,
Cover them

7. So there would be no confusion
Since all this is not
Not all this
Not nature of
The human being
(Paraphrased)
Publishing the pictures of the Poinciana tree and the text attached to them were
meaningful for me and started a new avocation: publishing pictures on the "Flickr"
site- a picture sharing site constituting a social net in which the social connections are
based on the publication of pictures and the responses to them.
As time passed by I found myself becoming addicted to the site and all of its
functions: photography, publication of the pictures, surfing the photo reservoirs of
other people and writing responses to their pictures. Despite my use of the word
"addiction" (or perhaps precisely because of its use) I found out that the site responds
to basic, human needs and constitutes a certain mode of "art as therapy" through the
internet. In the course of time, as the popularity of the social nets increased, I started
to associate my pictures on other sites such as "The Marker Café " and "Facebook".
Through my personal experience with this site, I found out that observing it as a
therapeutic means is an interesting one. For example, in art therapy the first work
created by the patient is a major marker for the therapist as it usually contains the
major themes preoccupying the patient. Thus, the first pictures I uploaded reflect my
personal world, in many ways. I found out that by observing the pictures of the other
participants, many implications are done and the non-verbal communication between
the various participants in the site leaves a large gap in which the observer can
complement voids as he/she deems it right.
The members who share their pictures on social nets are divided regarding the
use they make of the nets. Some regard themselves as artistic- photographers and
publish art creations depicting consolidated language and assertion. Others publish
pictures of the kind found in family albums thus in fact creating a kind of on-line
family album which is presented before all to see. Through these, it may be deduced
that this kind of social net provides an opening for the processes discussed by
Sulzberg (1955) about photography, peeping processes and exhibitionism, which are
linked with the pre-verbal stage. In parallel, exposure through photograph enables the

8. presentation of the self with greater control than the one that exists in real life. This
was well expressed by the Beatles in their song "All you need is love" (by Lennon and
McCartney) in which they sang "Nothing you can see that isn't shown".
While examining the development of the integration between the internet and
the world of therapy, it has been found that psychological therapy through the
internet, in various ways, is a most developed area. The first paid therapy through the
internet was held by Ivan Goldberg in 1955 (Ainsworth, 2002:205). In the course of
time, various therapeutic methods evolved which had different characteristics and so,
twenty years or so later, it is possible to find on the internet various kinds of therapies.
The individual therapy may occur when the patient and the therapist are
simultaneously on line and are conducting a written conversation using software such
as Skype, Gmail Talk, ICQ , Messenger and so on. Another form of individual
therapy on the net is through the e-mail correspondence while the correspondence
times were determined in advance.
Art therapy through the net is still in its cradle, only two evidences were found
for the development of art therapy on the internet. One is by Kater Collie – an art
therapist and Davor Cubranic a computer person who presented on "Youtube"
(http://www.youtube.com) a software they created jointly. It is based on the painter's
software and enables art therapy through the internet while each one of the group
members can see the art works of the other members and can communicate with them.
The target audience of that software is that of invalids and people with physical
limitations that do not allow them to come out of their home. In other words, this
software acted as a kind of default for those who cannot enjoy the normative group art
therapy (http://youtube.com/watch?v=pYfiRfeXTxw).
The second finding in that area was discovered in Israel on the site called
"Benafshi" (Hebrew for "in my psyche"- http://www.benafshi.co.il), which offers art
therapy through the internet. It was founded in the middle of 2008. Here is a segment
from the actual site (p. 140):
How is it actually conducted?
In the art therapy process, the therapist directs the patient to create some art
works whose goal is neither aesthetic nor artistic. It is meant to act as the tool
for profound connection with him/herself. Choosing the work medium occurs

9. through the dialogue between the therapist and the patient and it may be
interpreted in many ways: the use of photography per se; creating
computerized artwork and so on. The actual works are created both within the
context of the verbal dialogue formed between patient and therapist, which is
conducted through the e-mail, through a chat or through the combination of
both. Each artwork turns in its turn into the focus of the therapeutic dialogue
and into a tool for observation and the creation of immanent process of
awareness and development. Through that process, the next artwork evolves
and so on and so forth.
As explained before, the aim of this thesis is not to analyze in depth the
transference relations as these are expressed on the internet (which is a controversial
issue). The importance of the research is in that if indeed it is found that internet
therapy is needed, there is a need to act according to the following three levels:
The first level is the profound inquiry of the difference between verbal therapy on the
internet and art therapy on the internet. To research the advantages and disadvantages
of the art therapy on the internet and to examine its difference from the classic art
therapy. The second level concerns building different platforms providing the
response for that need that evolves from the audience. Finally, should people exhibit
interest in it, there is a need to explain and distribute the area so the broad public
would gain access to it. At present, the only site suggesting art therapy through the
internet is relatively new and few know about its existence.
To sum up I must confess and say that this paper started as one aiming to
express the importance in the development of phototherapy on the internet. However,
the more the writing of this thesis advanced and I became more acquainted with the
area of therapy through the internet, I found out that it is a problematic area and, to
some extent, it instigated repulsion in me. Despite my ample love for the internet and
the personal interest I find in it, I found out that therapy through the internet is
justified only when there is no other option or alternately, as a transition stage for
people intimidated by an intimate encounter. Indeed, the materials I read did justify
and sided with the internet therapy but for they seems biased in advance and I found
myself rejecting the ideas and the approaches presented in them.

10. Chapter 2 - Literature review
2.1 Photography and therapy
"The capacity of the photograph to represent the external world in infinite and
inexhaustible detail without the shifts, distortions or forgetting to which memory is
vulnerable, has made photography an avocation of unequalled popularity. The camera
aids people to overcome and extend beyond the limits of perceptual and thought
processes while providing a non verbal means of personal expression, a vehicle for
communication subjective experience and privet perspective of the world" (Donald
and Colson, 1979).
In this chapter I will discus the history of photography emphasizing resent
development in digital photography and the way it affects the users. Later, in the main
part of this chapter, I will examine the therapeutic aspects in using this special and
popular medium. My claim is that photography as therapy on the net exists nowadays
and that the cyberspace becomes a real therapeutic space (this will be demonstrated
on the fourth chapter). I will explain the deference between photography as therapy
and photo-therapy, as the basis on which I will try to propose a new model of photo-
therapy on the net.
The camera doesn't lie ? Developments in photography technology
One for the album/ Margaret newlin
Who will recall
That the red dog had fleas this summer

11. And stank of the barn?
That one child had broke his brother's nose
In August?
And the farm roof leaked?
Those apples o the ground
Hummed full of bees
And smelled of rot.
The camera never lies
It earmarks truth more ruthlessly than brush
Making us climb forever there
Over the white fence
Under the apple tree
Into the sunlight field.
(newlin, 1973)
Writing about the Camera Obscura device – on which the invention of the camera
will lean later on- has been documented more than 2000 years ago by Aristotle. In
Latin "Camera Obscura" means dark chambers. This device forms a two-dimensional
image from a three-dimensional object by penetration of the light rays through a tiny
foramen into a dark room. Thus, the rays form on the wall in front of the foramen a
picture that is opposite to that which is seen on the outside. Still, the pictures gained
through the Camera Obscura could not be fixated and so it did not concern actual
photography.
In the second half of the 16th
Century two developments occurred in the
Camera Obscura: in 1550 the physicist Girolamo Cardano suggested a meaningful
improvement for the Camera Obscura in his book "On Subtlety"- inserting a convex
glass lens instead of the foramen in the wall. Thus, a clearer and sharper image is

12. gained relatively to the one achieved through the simple foramen. In 1585
Giambattista Benedetti added one more improvement: he inserted a diagonal mirror
into the space and its role was to invert the image. Now the viewer could see the
image without its being upside down.
In the 17th
Century the Camera Obscura turned from a room into a mobile
device but it still did not enable immortalization of the reflected ima
In 1826 Nicéphore Niépce takes the first permanent photograph, a landscape
that required an eight hour exposur. The photography board made of celluloid was
developed in 1888 and is used to this day.
Many advancements and technical developments took place in photography since
then. The use of manual cameras in which the photograph is controlling the data
measurement, has been replaced by automatic cameras, which are programmed to
create a sharp, correctly exposed photography (Burian, 1999). As a result of the
technological advancements photographers are almost entirely free from the necessity
to invest much of their attention in technicalities and are able to focus on other
aspects. Digital imaging which uses an electronic image sensor to record the image as
a set of electronic data rather than as chemical changes on film, is rapidly replacing
film photography in consumer and professional markets. Both in traditional and in
digital photography, the photograph can be enhanced and manipulated by many
effects (contrast, cropping, colors control etc). Expectedly, the simplicity of
manipulating the digital photo in a push of a button on the computer's keyboard,
replacing hours of working in the darkroom, makes these photo's manipulations more
popular. The digital technology had also enabled the combination of the photograph
with other medias in new ways. The photographed object can be joined with different
medias such as audio, video, interactive multimedia, animation and so on.
Another digital photographer's advantage lies in their ability to view the results
immediately on the camera's screen, and so to cancel or save them, in the no need to
spend money on film and developing once the camera is bought (Corbett, 2001)
Digital photography had also made photography more available in two ways. The first
one is by allowing the making of very small instruments to be developed, so that they
can be carried easily by the user or be stored in other devices, that are carried anyway
everywhere by their users, such as cell phones and iPod.

13. On the other hand digital photography had made it more available to sharing, by
private mail or in social networks, because it dose not require scanning, as was needed
earlier.
Photography as therapy
" I know just one thing:
how I express myself ,
in one way or another.
Photography offers me the means,
more simply and faster than painting"
(man ray).
Art therapy is based on the therapeutic elements existing in art (art as therapy).
Photography as therapy, the subject I shall handle in this part of the thesis, is an area
dealing with the healing elements existing in the creative process called photography
and examines the emotional elements linked with that activity.
Generally, photographers may be divided according to their approach to themes, style
and point of views that are photographed. This enables division also regarding the ego
sources, they are using. Some of them are interested in the artistic part regardless of
the technology and others cling to the technology. Some believe in neither the first
nor the second. The technical skills the photographers need, diverse from the pushing
on the button and printing of the product and up to long hours of development in the
dark room or the digital editing of the photograph. The themes that appear in the
pictures may constitute an attempt to reflect reality as it is or alternately, to try to form
an abstract look. Colson (1979) claims that in any case, all photographers share one
joint goal: to create a permanent visual product; a target that involves the entire "self"
including its conscious and unconscious motives.
Perceiving the past and coping with a loss

14. Photograph from September 11
BY WISLAWA SZYMBORSKA
They jumped from the burning floors—
one, two, a few more,
higher, lower.
The photograph halted them in life,
and now keeps them
above the earth toward the earth.
Each is still complete,
with a particular face
and blood well hidden.
There’s enough time
for hair to come loose,
for keys and coins
to fall from pockets.
They’re still within the air’s reach,
within the compass of places
that have just now opened.
I can do only two things for them—
describe this flight
and not add a last line.
The most popular use of the photograph today is done in order to collect and
document the pictures of those dear to us, also in order to form a visual family tree.
Colson (1979) claims that each photographer he knows personally, an amateur or a
professional is imbued with the need to photograph his/her close family. He adds that
most of the professional photographers started photography as a hobby during their
adolescence (the age in which the greatest mental and physical changes take place).
Others started their photography avocation when they were children who- as is the
common knowledge- change and grow in a rhythm that challenges human memory. In
the same way, the camera pops up in unique events that pass by such as events,
ceremonies or the departure of friends.
In fact, it may be said that photography assures visual assistance to memory to
preserve the important moments, which may then be drawn out any time in the future.
That is probably why people take photographs in times of swift change: apparently,

15. the photographing helps them to stop time and get a bigger opportunity to consolidate
the moment's passing experience. In conclusions, the picture enables external
strengthening for the internal connection with the person or the existence that were
lost.
Colson (1979) claims that it is possible to compare the familial attitude to the
pictures to the description provided by Freud (1917) for the mourning following the
death of a loved one. Colson quotes him as follows: "Psychologically, the existence of
the lost object continues. Each one of the memories and the expectations linking the
libido with the object is brought up and processed. The separation of the libido is
completed through respect towards it". Weiser (1993) expands on Colson's quotation
of Freud claiming that the photograph functions as transition object that mediates
between the occurrences in the photograph and those in reality. Doutch (1960) writes
about the same subject saying that "the primitive experience that the world was one
part of the self and gradually it had been taken or became external, is never accepted
partially…..the loss of the object may motivate the need to regain it through artistic
means".
One of the characteristics of the mourning sensation is the adaptation to time
and the expectation for the future (Pollock, 1971).
The inability to mourn or freezing in a stage of mourning which is non-
adaptive, non-creative, neutralized the ability to change and grow and emphasizes the
inevitable death. In pathological relations with time, change and mourning,
photography helps to correct the time almost like a magic wand by hiding the change
and the mourning process, symbolically. In fact, taking pictures is the closes means of
expression to memories than any other expressive tool. In his book "Another way of
telling", Berger (1982) compares memory to photography. He argues that the
inspiration for the photograph is not the outcome or sequel of the visual memory but it
stems precisely from the same spot. It is the actual thing. Photography as well as
memory preserves the moment subjectively and both are motivated by and motivating
through immanent contexts. Just as in the memory, the photograph is connected with
the event in which it was formed but it carries within the procedure of its no-
continuity (by freezing the specific moment in the continuity). That is how the
photograph preserves a moment in time and does not enable erasing it by all the
successive moments.

16. For the same reason and because the photograph was taken out of the continuity and
the context, it has an unclear meaning. Berger (1982) claims that the meaning stems
from the context. He believes that the photograph's significant lack of meaning, grants
it the power of being a unique means of expression that opens many meanings which
Berger calls "another way of telling".
Roland Barthes, tragic as was his habit, presented the connection between
photography and loss as follows: "The photography does not bring back the past
(there is nothing of Proust in the picture). It does not affect me to reconstruct that
which had been cancelled (by time or distance) but only to confirm that which I see
that has indeed existed…. The photograph always amazes me, a continuous and
renewed amazement. Perhaps it is that amazement, that perseverance that is
embedded in the religious infrastructure that shaped my entity. Nothing will help
here: art of photography is somehow connected with the resurrection".
Regressive playfulness and rediscovery of the environment
People who collect and organize their photographs, ask people to stand in specific
positions are many time obsessive about their preoccupation with this avocation.
According to Colson (1979), it is possible to describe the photograph as one enabling
controlled regression of the self in which the instinctive need finds its partial
expression in a way that helps to achieve:
(1) Stability and adherence to the object.
(2) An infantile "as if" situation, in which the world is perceived again and thus
enriches the experience of reality.
(3) Entering a process of discovery.
The early interest and the most universal one in static pictures stems from the stage in
which the stabilization of the object is the child's major mission. In addition, to the
stabilization of the object, the photograph also supports the complementing
functioning of the "self"; meaning the regulation and the blocking of stimulations.
Researches that were performed on schizophrenic's patients showed lack of selective
blocking of attention as characteristic of that syndrome. For them, schizophrenia is a
defect in the ability to sieve stimulations that emerge from the immanent or the
external world. These people have difficulties selecting the input and thus are

17. inundated by more input than they are able to assimilate or organize (perform
integration) (Colson, 1979).
In addition and within the context of the previously expressed ideas, the
camera may serve as comparison with memory processes and holding of the static
object and decrease anxiety regarding their difficulty to contain sights in the brain.
This information suggests that tension caused by anxiety through the inundation of
stimulations (absorbing more than the ego can organize) and then the threat of loss
and partings may be released by using a camera as supplement to the ego.
Even for people who are relatively healthy, the selectivity and the distance required in
order to take a picture and to diminish the hints, serve as protection against the
omission of sights. For "healthy" people the camera functions less as compensation
for defects in the stability of the object or the blocking of stimuli and functions more
as a way for adaptation to ambivalence and the exaggerated sensory input. The latter
occurs as part of the human condition, which encourages looking beyond the
camouflage which is usually defined as reality and which emphasizes points of view
which are less prevalent about people and the world.
Another expansion in the inquiry of reality by the ego is done through the act
of revelation. The child discovers the world and his place in it through inquiry and
playing overlapping the establishment of the blocking of stimuli and permanence of
the object. Schachtel (1959) described that development as attempt to recapture the
spontaneity and openness as sensory experience in the creative activity. Since the
picture stops the action and screens some of the stimulations, it opens accessibility to
a certain issue thus providing more details. Taking the subject out of its usual location
breaks the familiar and regular and thus, a new experience of the subject is enabled as
well as a new aesthetic experience. Schachtel (1959) argues that the similarity
between the artist and the child is in the freshness, interest and openness through
which the object is perceived and that these characteristics are the core of the creative
experience.
To sum up, this kind of the picture's use aiming to enrich the experience of
reality, gains many forms. There is the total pleasure produced through the skill in
technological precision. Often the photography fans are interested in a variety of
activities that integrate gadgets or other devices. There are additional pleasures in the
attempts to gain a new lens, new filters and experience the abilities of photography to
capture reality. There is also the use of the photograph to perceive the illusion of

18. something. Robbins (1942) a psychoanalyst and photography fan described that use:
"My psychiatric interest in people may be expressed in the inquiry of the portrait with
special effort to let out the personality of the subject by catching a specific expression;
causing the person to do something that characterizes him or emphasize specific
characteristics by arranging the illumination in specific way".
Photography as conscious, creative action
The fact that the photographer is required to perform conscious action of technical
control to operate the camera forms a structured process. Thus, it detains spontaneity
and creates conscious emotional expression. That way, the photography enables an
intricate way, which includes conscious processes to express ideas and feelings and
acts as communication means that is projective-symbolic. Even through all
photographers create a visual, existing product by merging unconscious motives with
ego functioning, still there is a difference between the photographers, in the fego
functioning participating in the process as well as in their areas of interest. Specific
photographers are interested in this theme or other while others emphasize the artistic
style that is touched by the theme; others draw pleasure through the precisions and the
control of the technical components. Some photographers attempt to produce a picture
that represents reality, almost as a copy while others try to use the reality to create an
abstract picture. The post-photography work may also require different levels of the
self's functioning: the technical preoccupation with the photograph is at times
summed up by pressing the button in an automatic state and then having it developed.
In other cases, it concerns a long and intricate process of working on the picture using
various computer software, developing it in the dark room or printing it.
The photograph as projective space and connection with unconscious layers
The world contracted to a recognizable image/ William Carlos Williams
At the small end of an illness
There was a picture

19. Probably Japanese
Which filled my eye
An idiotic picture
Except it was all I recognized
The wall lived for me in that picture
I clung to it as a fly
According to Colson (1979), the photography activates certain ego abilities and
expands these abilities beyond their normative boundaries.
Voyeurism opposite exhibitionism
In his article "Body image of a photographer", Fox (1957) claimed that there are few
pre-genital needs (oral and anal) involved in photography. He quoted Fenijal on that:
"The mechanical sophistication of the human being did in fact create a "desired eye"
(the camera) that observes the external world and unites it and then projects it out
again". In his words, Fenijal emphasizes the exhibitionistic oral need, which is
expressed through the photographing action by integrating aspects of inner reflection
and external reflection. These aspects, according to Fenijal insinuate the
psychological process of projective identification.
Colson (1979) argued that the great attraction to photography stems from the
unique ability to reach satisfaction on few levels of the psyche, simultaneously.
Parallel to the satisfaction gained through the picture, it is mainly a function of the
ego. Few id motives, such as voyeurism and its parallel, exhibitionism, may be
satisfied in a manner that is socially acceptable.
Maybe this is how it is possible to explain the behavior of press photographers
whose role imparts them the position of the peeping spectators whose role it is to
observe and document but also the behavior of amateur photographers who allow
themselves to observe and peep into "prohibited" places when they are holding the
camera.

20. In his book "Thoughts about photography", Roland Barthes (1980) talks about
exhibitionism through concepts of object staging: "When I feel that the lens is
watching me, everything changes. I prepare myself to stand in front of the camera and
instantly form a bdifferent body for myself. I turn myself into a picture in advance.
This change of form is active: I feel that the picture is creating my body or collapses it
arbitrarily…."
Aggressiveness and omnipotence
The terminology of photography includes words that insinuate unconscious
aggression. A person "shoots" a picture and the picture is the "shot". The feelings of
those who photograph moments towards their pictures is similar to the way hunters
feel about their loot. It may even be said that the photographer of moment contains
some of the aggression towards the movement of life and change. Colson (1979)
pointed out that in some cultures taking the picture of a person may be considered
lack of good manners, reasons for insult and even perceived as robbing of the person's
image. At times, the photography act may provide legitimization for voyeurism but
may also be interpreted as invasion of privacy. The actual tool- the camera- may at
times instigate sexual wishes and satisfy them through the occupation with elaborate
phallic mechanisms adorned with erotic aura.
In her book "Photography as the mirror of the period", Suzanne Sontag (1979)
writes the following:
"Like guns and cars, cameras are fantasy-machines whose use is addictive. However,
despite the extravagances of ordinary language and advertising, they are not lethal. In
the hyperbole that markets cars like guns, there is at least this much truth: except in
wartime ,cars kill more people than guns do. The camera/gun does not kill, so the
ominous metaphor seems to be all bluff - like a man's fantasy of having a gun, knife,
or tool between his legs."
Another magic aura, which is ascribed to photography is that of omnipotence. The
symbolic insinuations about "taking a picture" or "snatching" one moment out of the
flowing time, not only point at aggression but also at omnipotence. One of the ego
functioning the child is required to develop as he/she grows is to establish the

21. sensation of control over time. The acquaintance with the dimension of time and its
control (the sensation of controlling it) are escorted by wishes for omnipotence;
wishes to manage to do the impossible. Stopping the moment in a picture,
immortalizing it and fixating it surely contain remnants of such sensations (Colson,
1979).
According to Colson (1979), interest in photography expresses:
i. Display of unconscious wishes.
ii. Oppression turned against the expression of such wishes.
iii. The attempt of that person to overcome such oppression.
The freedom to look at an area and use the surface as the one indicating that,
which resides in its depth- these are the subjects that the photographer is facing while
taking a picture (Colson, 1979). The camera provides a means of observation that is
safe and has the potential to praise. The focus, curtaining and visual inclusion, the
dimness opposite the revelation are all a matter of the photographer's self-awareness.
That way the picture expresses a large variety of unconscious wishes and suggests an
interception that is turned towards these wishes on high level of sublimation.
Photographs as sequels of self-identity
Images, as are all plastic art works, are an extension of one‟s identity, reflecting
aspects of one‟s personality, relationships, and lifestyle .This explains the fact that the
stealing of one‟s image can sometimes feel like a violation not only of ownership but
of self. Images can give expression to the unconscious dimensions of one‟s character,
to the way he or her experience themselves, their anxiety, wishs, or ideals. Thus,
The photographer of the picture establishes a relationship to the image taken as a
mean to establish a relationship to some emerging aspect of his or her identity (Suler,
2008).
Phototherapy

22. The definition of Phototherapy is the use of photography and personal photographs
within the frame work of formal therapy, where trained mental health professionals
use all sorts of techniques to help clients during counseling session (wiser, n.d.),
(Krauss, 1982).
This special form of therapy is being used in a wide range of populations and settings.
It has been used in in family , group and individual therapy as an diagnostic tool as
well as a way to develop skills in "perceiving, feeling thinking, behaving and
communicating" (Krauss, 1982).
Despite the clear definition, still the professional status of phototherapy is unclear.
On the one hand, phototherapy is considered as a niche within plastic and expressive
art therapy and it is used by a growing number of art therapists. In some curriculums,
courses or lesson are integrated which are devoted absolutely to the photography
means. In addition, professional books reviewing the areas of art therapy, introduce
phototherapy as one of its areas.
Still, on the other hand there are the following facts: the Israeli Ministry of
Health requiring 600 art lessons in order to get the therapist's certificate and it does
not ratify photography-studying lessons. Separate curriculums were founded in Israel
for phototherapy and so the Musrara College for example, provides a studying course
of three years for phototherapy but at the end of it, no certificate is obtained from the
Ministry of Health.
The development of phototherapy
The integration between photography and mental health started developing already in
the middle of the 19th
century. Few years after the invention of photography, Dr.
Hugh Welch Diamond, a British doctor and photography fan, one of the founders of
the photography association and editor of the first photography magazine in Britain,
was the one who had built the bridge between these two areas. Between the tears
1848- 1858 he acted as the supervisor of the women's department at the Surry mental
hospital. During these years, Diamond took pictured of his patients to try to prove his
argument (which was not established after all) that mental illness may be diagnosed

23. by observing the facial features of the patient and their characteristics. When he
showed his patients their photographs, he noticed that it had a good impact on them.
That is how phototherapy was founded.
Photograph of Dr. Diamond's patients:
------
In 1935, Morgan and Murray introduced the TAT diagnosis into the area of
psychotherapy. This was an old version of the diagnostic tool known as the Rorschach
test (1921). However, in this case it did not concern abstract spots but clear, visual
drawings; the kind of illustrated pictures which through the presentation of structured
questions act as a tool for examining the projections performed by the observer
through his/her immanent world towards the illustration.

24. In 1973, Robert U. Akeret published his book "Photo Analysis" which suggests
technique for psychological interpretations for pictures in the family's album.
In 1977, Zekem published a small advertisement in the "Psychology today" magazine
in which he asked to make contact with people use pictures during their therapeutic
work. That ad gained more than two hundred responses, which is how the
photography quarterly was founded. It served as a means of connection between those
who use that area (Weiser, 2001).
A year later the number of readers of the new quarterly had grown to over 1,000
people and so on May 1979 the first International Phototherapy Symposium was
organized by the quarterly's editor, Zekem ,in DeKalb, Illinois. The many publications
arising from the Symposium initiated the literature base for the field. (Weiser, 2001).
In 1982, Judy Weiser opened the phototherapy Center in Vancouver, Canada and in
1983; she published her book "Phototherapy techniques". The book reviewed
comprehensively the area of phototherapy and became an auxiliary for the work of
therapists in this area. That same year the most-influential book "Phototherapy in
mental health" by Krauss and Fryrear was published, containing clinical researches
and theoretic articles by major researchers in that area.
The area of phototherapy is developing and becoming more profound as times
goes by. More and more institutes qualify therapists as part of their art therapy studies
and in addition to them. Researches and articles continue to be published around the
world while the USA is the leader of this area.
Work techniques with photography within therapeutic setting
a. Presenting the photographs
During various stages in the psychotherapy treatment, the patient feels the need to
present before the therapist, pictures of his/her relatives. This includes also pictures of
homes, places of work or anything that may be photographed and which holds a
meaning for the patient. The sensation that usually escorts the patient is that if the
therapist is exposed to the physical sight of the place or person he/she is talking about,
the therapist would get to know them better.

25. Pictures brought into the therapy room help the therapist to get to know the
intrinsic world of the patient as well as the history and images who are meaningful for
him/her. The choice of photographs is usually the outcome of the editing the family's
album so the patient chooses to present his/her past in specific manner. As any visual
object, the photograph summons the therapist to form contact with the verbal
narrative attached to the picture by the patient but also with the unconscious parts that
chose the specific photograph as one representing an event, period or person.
b. Artwork with the photographs of the patient and his/her relatives
The photographs may constitute a wonderful material for therapy through art.
Intuitively, the artwork combined with the personal photograph, may bring out
unconscious themes and act as basis for their processing.
The following photographs present example of works made by me about my
connection with my brother. The picture was taken out of the family album and was
photographed so that it would be possible to work with it. I called it "the faces of the
orphans do testify":

26. Another example may be seen through the following works. In t hat therapy a women
worked on her maturation process by choosing her pictures as a girl and on it added
(using photoshop) her picture as a mature woman. The processed picture acted as
basis for the textual creation:

27. c. Photography during the therapy
Photography during therapy provides the therapist with diagnostic ability about the
patient. Just as any time spent with the patient through talking, silence or creativity,
which helps us to get to know him/her, thus the photography has the ability to expose
the special sides of the patient such as: what interests him/her? How does he/she hold
the camera? How does he/she gets organized in space? Does he/she feels free? Which
angles he/she chooses? Does he/she chooses to photograph reality as it is or to direct
it? What is the measure of closeness to the object? Does the patient get closer with the
body or does he/she use the zoom function in the camera? Does he/she keep
improving the performance as time goes by? And so on.
d. The patient's picture taken by the therapist
The photograph of the patient during the therapy enables reflection and forms a
sensation of visibility.
The following examples show pictures of patients who were photographed during the
therapy in which they could see themselves from the side and then discuss these
sights:

28. e. Preserving the works
In art therapy, there is great importance to the preservation of the patient's works. The
therapist guards the works for the patient until the end of the therapy and then the
patient decides what he/she wants to do with them. Sometimes the patients create
works that cannot be preserved and then the photograph is the closest thing that can
be done to preserve them. These include large works, works made of expendable
materials, works done on the body of the patient, works using the space of the clinic
or its walls as part of the composition and works that depend on time such as
movement or drama. Sometimes, therapists working at schools or community centers,
are compelled to share their room with other people and thus they lose control over
that which is happening in it while they are not working in it. The "backup" of the
works in such places by taking their photographs can prevent or at lease minimize
disappointments.
f. Documentation of the art creation stages
Documenting the art creation stages by the therapist while the patient is found within
the creative process, enables return to the symbolic reality which no longer exists but
which was there for a few moments; to see the road the patient went through until
reaching the final composition. The ability to see the different stages sometimes helps
the patient to experience reality differently or to reach insights about the patients'
work mode.

29. To sum up- it is possible to see that the different work modalities sway
between the integration of the photograph within the therapeutic setting, as something
on the side and supporting to the center of therapeutic doing. The photography may
act as a practical tool, accessible for therapist and patient as well as a profound,
psychoanalytic tool through which it is possible to examine and exercise projections,
areas of interest, capabilities and more.
Suler (2008), suggests a list of four factors for analyzing one's photography
works:
(a) the subject matters captured in the image;
(b) shooting and post processing techniques;
(c) the visual characteristics of the image resulting from such techniques, as
interpreted psychologically
(d) the psychological and emotional issues portrayed in the image.
2.2" it's a small world after all"- on virtual social networks
Social networks are part of what is called "The social web", meaning the way people
socialize and create interactions and relationships through the internet. Although, as it
will be described later on, the social network websites have been developing for more
than twenty years, it became an important phenomenon in the past few years when
more and more people became users. Some Virtual Social networks, such as
Facebook.com and myspace.com, each claim over 250 million registered users (Ston,
2009), are drawing more and more people with their multi-applications including
creating an individual web page, posting information and contents (e.g., status,
photos) and interacting with others.
Unlike Facebook, Twitter and myspace, another type of websites is interest focused.
For example, the well-known website Youtube is a video focused social network.
Similarly, A person who is interested in photography and wants to share his pictures
and to meet people who are photography- minded, can use websites such as Flicker,
Kodak Gallery and Photobucket.
The history of social networks on the web

30. The first social network on the web, "The Well", was created on 1985. Ten
years later: Theglobe.com (1994), Geocities (1994) and Tripod (1995) took
place on the net while more and more people became part of the social web.
These communities contained chat rooms, in which people could share
information and ideas via their personal homepages.
On 1995 Classmates.com introduced a commercial, fee-based website for individuals
seeking to reconnect with high school acquaintances (Classmates Media, 2008). After
first registering and providing credit card information, students could see the names of
fellow high-school graduates and send them email.
Many of today‟s college students‟ first experiences with on-line social networks took
place on Friendster.com and MySpace.com, two popular sites that pre-date
Facebook.com These sites were very similar to Facebook.com except anyone could
create a profile. This led to instances of people misrepresenting themselves, usually
with nefarious intentions, such as adults claiming to be teenagers (Flanagan, 2007).
As the caption to a July 5, 1993 The New Yorker cartoon put it, “On-line nobody
knows you‟re a dog.”
On 1997 SixDegrees.com came about and allowed Users to create profiles, to
send messages, to hold on a “friends list” and to see other members who had
similar interests to theirs. Whilst these features had existed in some form
before SixDegrees.com came about, this would be the first time these
functions were available in one package. Despite these new developments
(that would later catch on and become immensely popular), the website simply
wasn‟t profitable and eventually shut down. It was even described by the
website‟s owner as "simply ahead of its time."
On 1999 epinions.com was developed. Innovations included not only showing
who is connected with whom, but giving users more control over content and
connectivity. Between 2002 and 2004, three social networking sites emerged
as the most popular form of these sites in the world, causing such sites to
become part of mainstream users globally. First there was Friendster (which
Google tried to acquire in 2003), then, MySpace, and finally, Bebo. By 2005,
MySpace, emergent as the biggest of them all, was reportedly getting more page
views than Google. 2004 saw the emergence of Facebook, a competitor, also

31. rapidly growing in size. In 2006, Facebook opened up to the non US college
community, and together with allowing externally-developed add-on
applications, and some applications enabled the graphing of a user's own
social network - thus linking social networks and social networking, became
the largest and fastest growing site in the world, not limited by particular
geographical following.
List of social networking websites
This is a list of major active social networking websites From Wikipedia1
, the free
encyclopedia on the internet. The list is not exhaustive, and is limited to some
notable, well-known sites.
Name Description/Focus
Registered
users
Registration
Global
Alexa
Page
ranking
Adult
FriendFinder
Adults Only Dating/Hook-
up Network
33,000,000 Open 64
Advogato
Free and open source
software developers
13,575 Open 118,124
Amie Street Music Open 30,628
ANobii Books Open 13,111
aSmallWorld
European jet set and social
elite
270,000 Invite-only 11,655
Athlinks Running, Swimming 68,496 Open 107,826
Avatars United Online games. Open 302,122
Badoo
General, Popular in Europe
c
35,000,000
Open to people
18 and older
157
Bahu
General, Popular in France,
Belgium and elsewhere in
Europe
1,000,000
Open to people
aged 13–25
19,738
Bebo General. 40,000,000
Open to people
13 and older
148
Bigadda
Indian Social Networking
Site.
3,000,000
Open to people
16 and older.
2,900
Biip Norwegian Community.
Requires
Norwegian
phone number.
16,645
BlackPlanet African-Americans 20,000,000 Open 1,226
Broadcaster.com Video sharing and webcam 322,715 Open
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

32. chat
Buzznet Music and pop-culture 10,000,000 Open 498
CafeMom Mothers 1,250,000
Open to moms
and moms-to-be
3,090
Cake Financial Investing Open
Care2
Green living and social
activism
9,961,947 Open
Classmates.com
School, college, work and
the military
50,000,000 Open 923
Cloob General. Popular in Iran. Open
College Tonight College students.
requires an e-
mail address
with an ".edu"
ending
CouchSurfing
Worldwide network for
making connections
between travelers and the
local communities they
visit.
1,118,447 Open
DailyStrength
Medical & emotional
support community -
Physical health, Mental
health, Support groups
Open 17,465
DeviantART Art community 9,040,962 Open 119
Disaboom
People with disabilities.
(Amputee, cerebral palsy,
MS, and other disabilities.)
Open
dol2day
Politic community, Social
network, Internet radio
(German-speaking
countries)
40,200 Open
DontStayIn Clubbing (primarily UK) Open
Draugiem.lv
General (primarily LV, LT,
HU)
2,400,000 Invitation only
Elftown
Community and wiki
around Fantasy and sci-fi.
185,000
Open, approval
needed
Epernicus For research scientists Open
Eons.com For baby boomers
Open to people
13 and older
13,675
Experience
Project
Life experiences Open
Exploroo Travel Social Networking. Open 257,000
Facebook General. 200,000,000
Open to people
13 and older
4
Faceparty General. Popular UK. 200,000
Invitation only
to people 18
and older.
2,481
Faces.com British teens
Open to people
13 and older
Fetlife People who are into BDSM 32,500
Open to people
"of [legal] age
to see adult
54,198

33. content"
Filmaffinity Movies and TV Series 250,000 Open 4,082
FledgeWing
Entrepreneural community
targeted towards worldwide
university students.
Open to
university
students
Flixster Movies 63,000,000
Open to people
13 and older
309
Flickr
Photo sharing, commenting,
photography related
networking, worldwide
Open 37
Fotolog
Photoblogging. Popular in
South America and Spain.
20,000,000 Open 57
Friends Reunited
UK based. School, college,
work, sport and streets
19,000,000 Open 8,052
Friendster
General. Popular in
Southeast Asia. No longer
popular in the western
world.
90,000,000
Open to people
16 and older.
No children
allowed.
64
Frühstückstreff General Open
Fubar
dating, an "online bar" for
18 and older
1,200,000 Open 2,609
Gaia Online Anime and games
Open to people
13 and older
GamerDNA Computer and video games 310,000 Open
Gather.com
Article, picture, and video
sharing, as well as group
discussions
465,000 Open
Geni.com Families, genealogy 15,000,000 Open
Goodreads
Library cataloging, book
lovers
Open 5,305
Gossipreport.com Anonymous gossip
Open to people
16 and older
Grono.net Poland Open
Habbo
General for teens. Over 31
communities worldwide.
Chat Room and user
profiles.
117,000,000[63][64][65] Open to people
13 and older
4,050
hi5
General. Popular in
India,Portugal, Mongolia,
Thailand, Romania,
Jamaica, Central Africa
and Latin America. Not
popular in the USA.
80,000,000
Open to people
13 and older.
No children
allowed.
27
Hospitality Club Hospitality 328,629 Open
Hyves
General, Most popular in
the Netherlands.
8,000,000 Open 216
imeem
Music, Video, Photos,
Blogs
24,000,000 Open 140
Indaba Music
Online music collaboration,
remix contests. Users in 175
countries.
125,000 Open 62,781
IRC-Galleria Finland 505,000 Open to Finnish

34. speaking people
12 and older
italki.com
Language learning social
network. 100+ languages.
450,000 Open. Global. 15,500
InterNations International community Invite-only 30,147
itsmy
Mobile community
worldwide, blogging,
friends, personal TV-shows
2,500,000
iWiW Hungary 4,000,000 Invite-only
Jaiku
General. Owned by
Google.
Now available
to all.
Jammer Direct Creative resource website
Open to the
General Public
kaioo General, nonprofit 30,000
Kaixin001
General. In Simplified
Chinese; caters for
mainland China users
Open to the
General Public
Kiwibox
General. For the users, by
the users, a social network
that is more than a
community.
2,400,000
Open to people
13 and older.
22,693
Last.fm Music 30,000,000
Open to people
13 and older
262
LibraryThing Book lovers 400,000
Open to people
13 and older
lifeknot Shared interests, hobbies
Open to people
18 and older.
LinkedIn General but mainly business 42,000,000
Open to people
18 and older.
192
LiveJournal Blogging 17,564,977 Open (OpenID) 56
Livemocha
Online language learning -
dynamic online courses in
22 languages - world‟s
largest community of native
language speakers.
3,000,000 Open 5,505
LunarStorm Sweden Open
MEETin General Open
Meetup.com
General. Used to plan
offline meetings for people
interested in various
activities.
Open to people
18 and older.
Meettheboss
Business and Finance
community, worldwide.
Open
Mixi Japan 20,936,509 Invite-only 64
mobikade
mobile community, UK
only
Open to people
18 and older
MocoSpace
mobile community,
worldwide
3,000,000
Open to people
14 and older
MOG Music
Open to people
14 and older
Multiply "Real world" relationships. 10,000,000 Open to people 150

35. Popular in Asia. Not
popular in the western
world.
13 and older.
No children
allowed.
Muxlim Muslim portal site 50,000
Open to people
13 and older
94,338
MyAnimeList
Anime themed social
community
160,000
Open to people
13 and older
4,500
MyChurch Christian Churches 144,295 Open 33,621
MyHeritage
family-oriented social
network service
30,000,000 Open 4,735
MyLife.com
Locating friends and
family, keeping in touch
(formerly Reunion.com)
51,000,000 Open 2,311
MyLOL
General. Popular in the
United States, Europe and
Australia.
32,000
Open to ages 13
and up.
253,145
MySpace General.
261,422,883[not in
citation given]
Open to ages 13
and up.
11
myYearbook General 5,100,000
Open to age 13
and up &
Grades 9 and up
894
Nasza-klasa.pl
School, college and friends.
Popular in Poland.
12,000,000 Open
Netlog
General. Popular in Europe
and Québec province.
Formerly known as
Facebox and Redbox.
42,000,000 Open to people
13 and older
102
Nettby Norwegian Community. Open
Nexopia Canada 1,400,000
Open to people
14 and older
4,362
Ning
Users create their own
social websites and social
networks
Open to people
13 and older
566
Odnoklassniki
General. Popular in Russia
and former Soviet republics
37,000,000 Open 42
OkCupid
Social networking and
dating
Open to people
18 and older
One.lv / One.lt /
One.ee
General (Popular in Baltics,
mostly Russian speaking)
1,000,000 Open
OneClimate
Not for Profit Social
networking and Climate
Change
Open to People
of all ages and
locations
OneWorldTV
Not for Profit Video sharing
and social networking
aimed at people interested
in social issues,
development, environment,
etc.
Open
Open Diary
First online blogging
community, founded in
1998.
5,000,000
Open to people
13 and older
25,713
Orkut
Owned by Google. Popular
in India and Brazil.
67,000,000
Open to people
18 and older,
112

36. (Google login)
OUTeverywhere Gay/LGBTQ Community Open
Passportstamp Travel Open
Pingsta
Collaborative platform for
the world's Internetwork
Experts
Invite-only,
only Internet
Experts
Plaxo Aggregator 15,000,000 Open
Playahead
Swedish,
Danish,Norwegian
teenagers
Open
Playboy U Online college community
Open to college
students with
.edu e-mail
address
Plurk
Micro-blogging, RSS,
updates
Open 27,061
Present.ly
Enterprise social
networking and micro-
blogging
Open
quarterlife
A social network for artists,
filmmakers, musicians, and
creative people
Open to people
14 and older
Ravelry Knitting and crochet 331,000
Invite-only
while in beta
ResearchGATE
Social network for scientific
researchers
30,000 Open
Reverbnation
Social network for musician
and bands
25,000
Open to people
16 and older
Ryze Business 500,000 Open 20,162
scispace.net
Collaborative network site
for scientists
By invitation,
but can request
an invitation
Shelfari Books Open
Skyrock
Social Network in French-
speaking world
22,000,000 Open 41
SocialGO
A social network builder
that allows users to build
their own online
communities
Open to people
18 and older.
8,457
SocialVibe Social Network for Charity 435,000 Open
Sonico.com
General. Popular in Latin
America and Spanish and
Portuguese speaking
regions.
17,000,000
Open to people
13 and older.
297
Soundpedia Music Open 154,672
Stickam
Live video streaming and
chat.
2,000,000 Open
StudiVZ
University students, mostly
in the German-speaking
countries. School students
and those out of education
sign up via its partner sites
8,000,000 Open

37. SchulerVZ and Meinvz.
Tagged.com General 70,000,000 Open 94
Talkbiznow Business networking Open 395,824
Taltopia Online artistic community Open
TravBuddy.com Travel Open
Travellerspoint Travel Open
tribe.net General Open 3,517
Trombi.com
French subsidiary of
Classmates.com
4,400,000
Tuenti.com
Spanish-based university
and High School social
network. Very Popular in
Spain
4,500,000 Invite-only 587
Tumblr
General. Micro-blogging,
RSS
Open 587
Twitter
General. Micro-blogging,
RSS, updates
25,000,000 Open 599
V Kontakte Russian social network. 37,140,000 Open 29
Vampirefreaks
Gothic and industrial
subculture
1,931,049
Open to users
13 and over
Viadeo
European Social
Networking and Campus
Networking in Seven
Languages
6,000,000 Open
Vox Blogging Open 1,549
Wasabi General Open
WAYN Travel and lifestyle 10,000,000
Open to people
18 and older
823
WebBiographies Genealogy and biography Open
Windows Live
Spaces
Blogging (formerly MSN
Spaces)
120,000,000 Open 5
Wis.dm
Questions and answers
about anything and
everything
50,000 Open
WiserEarth
Online community space
for the social justice and
environmental movement
25,800
Open to people
18 and older
114,942
Xanga Blogs and "metro" areas 27,000,000 Open 230
Xiaonei Significant site in China 15,000,000 Open
XING
Business (primarily Europe
(Germany, Austria,
Switzerland) and China)
7,000,000 Open 1,814
Xt3
Catholic social networking,
created after World Youth
Day 2008
Open
Yammer
Social networking for office
colleagues
Must have
company email
Yelp, Inc.
Local Business Review and
Talk
Open
Youmeo UK Social Network (focus Open

38. on data portability)
Zoo.gr Greek Web Meeting point 890,000 Open 5,634
What's the fuss about or what can you do on social networks?
The popularity of social networks websites is connected, to the writer's
opinion, to the endless applications and features and to their constant
reproduction. Nevertheless, there are some essential features that appear in all
those websites in different ways and in varying degrees of sophistication. In
their article "On social websites" Kim, Joeng and Lee (2010) present a list of
eight Essential features of social Web sites:
1. Personal profiles
2. Establishing online connections
3. Participating in online groups
4. Communicating with online connections
5. Sharing UCCs
6. Expressing opinions
7. Finding information
8. Holding the users

39. 1. Profile page:
The profile page allows the user to edit his or hers profile that will be available to his
contacts or to members in same networks (every user can adjust the privacy settings).
The profile page allows indication of personal details such as full name, residential
zone, gender, occupation, hometown and self description. The user also may specify
his website address, instant messaging he or she uses, hobbies, favorite books, movies
and music. ''
User name and body icon are two ways that allows self-presentation on the profile
page. One have to choose his or her name as it will be presented on his profile page,
and attached to every action performed on the sight. The real name can be exposed as
well (in Facebook.com the user name has to be similar to the real name), but this is
not necessary on most sites. Once the name is chosen, it can be changed but actually
almost all the of the users stick to one name.
It's interesting to see, according to the writer's experience, when close relationships
are established; people no longer use their friend's user name when writing a comment
but address each other by their real names. The use of both names, the real name and
the virtual name, is in some way, an indication to the level of connection's intensity.
Another identity component that is chosen by every social web user is the body icon.
This little image (2cm x 2cm approximately) is attached to the user name and will
generally appear near it. In a way, the body icon is a visual chosen name. Unlike the
common sticking to the verbal name, the body icon is more often changed by users
(again, according to the writer's experience). Here are some user names and their
body icons from Facebook, Themarker-café and Flickr:

40. 2. establishing On line connections
Social Web sites provide for their members facilities that enable discovering
existing connection and candidates from new connections. The facilities
include automatic discovery of existing members of a site from the email
address books of the user, browsing of all existing groups on the site, a
friend-recommendation engine that suggests friends of friends, and a
keyword-based search engine for looking up members‟ names. Some sites
assign new members to some of the existing groups on the site, based on their
schools attended, current employers, physical locations, etc. Most sites allow
members to browse and join all the groups. While browsing the groups, the
member may select certain existing members and try to connect with them.

41. Search friends page on Fickr.com
3. Participating in on line groups
Most social Web sites support groups that members can join and leave.
Members and non-members can both view all the UCCs (user-created
content) in all the groups. However, only members may post UCCs. Once
joining a group, members can invite contacts. Some websites such as
Facebook, Flicker and LinkedIn host thousands of groups that members have
created, divided to three types of groups: public, public but by invitation only,
and private.

42. A group page on facebook.com.
4. Communicating with online connections
Social Web sites provide various facilities for members to use to
communicate with their online connections, that is, friends and other
members, including mail, on-line chat, text messaging, public and private
bulletin boards and even Internet phone services. Furthermore, on behalf of
the members, the sites send member updates and notices (e.g., friend request
notice) to members‟ friends. Each member may have one or more
„„followers,‟‟ and many members may be „„following‟‟ a member. For
example, Facebook provides a "wall" to post a member‟s message for all
friends to see and respond to. LinkedIn provides an „„answers‟‟ function to
allow members to answer questions posted by other members ("topic of
discussion"), and to refer the questions to their online connections.
5. Sharing UCCs.

43. Various types of UCCs (Use's Created Contents), such as photos, images,
blogs, micro-blogs, music, video, bookmarks, and text can be shared on most
social web sites. Friends and others may view (and sometimes share) these
UCCs, send their links (URLs) to their online connections and download
them to their private collections for future viewing and sharing with others.
Social media sites provide richer facilities for sharing UCCs than social
networking sites. For example, Twitter primarily allows the sharing of short
text messages. The only non-text UCCs it allows are two photos of the
member: one head and shoulder photo and one background photo. On the
other hand, Flicker allows the sharing of photos, videos, and text. Members
may add titles and tags when posting pictures that will be added to the search
engine to support keyword-based search of the post.
6. Expressing opinion
Social Web sites enable members to leave comments on the UCCs. Some
sites allow members to vote on them, too. The voting may take the form of
ranking (e.g., checking 3 stars out of 5 stars), or marking the UCC as a
„„favorite,‟‟ or flagging it as spam or inappropriate. For example,
Café.themarker.com provides two clickable stars, a green one and a red one,
to allow members to express liking and disliking.
7. Finding information
Social web sites provide the members facilities to find the information they
need inside the site such as keyword-based search engines and browsing. The
search engines can be used to look after names of people, names of groups
and particular UCCs. Browsing can be done on selected groups and UCCs in
a particular category. All social Web sites provide categories for the UCCs
stored, so that users may browse UCCs in a specific category. Many social
Web sites organize their data in terms of people, groups, and UCCs, and
allow users to browse each category of data.

44. 8. Holding the user

45. Various features on the social websites are designed to have the users spend a
long time on the sites, and have them return frequently. Many sites display
data related to the data the users specifically seek (and sometimes data that
may pique the interest of the users who is not searching). For example,
YouTube displays on the main page the „„Recommended for You‟‟ videos
related to the videos that the user watched earlier. Facebook and Flicker and
Cafe.themarker provide various types of updated information on members‟
friends and friends‟ friends. The information includes friend's UCCs, whom
the friends have made friends with, which friends updated their profiles, etc.
Flickr shows a „„folksonomy‟‟ of popular keywords on the main page, enticing
users to click on some keywords, related tags and photos in sub-directories.
Flickr also displays new members and popular members on the „„people‟‟
column at the bottom of the main page, inducing users to click and spend time
on some of the members.
2.3 photo sharing on virtual social networks nowadays and it's
therapeutic effects.
The primary method of online communication is typed text via e-mail, chat, instant
messaging, discussion boards, social networks, and blogging that has evolved into
highly sophisticated and unique forms of dialogue. However, with the increasing
availability of high speed Internet connections, visual images have become increasing
popular as a tool for self-expression. The psychological theory distinguish between
those two modes of expression: the first one is known to involve thinking that is more
linear, conceptual, consciously controlled, and reality-based while the other one tends
to be more holistic, emotional, personal imaginative, symbolic, and influenced by the
unconscious ( Richardson,1969).
In his article "Vernacular Creativity, Cultural Participation and New Media
Literacy: Photography and the Flickr Network" Burgess (2009) suggests a list of
components, mental and practical, that are needed in order to take part in the social

46. network photos-haring Flickr. It seems like those component are relevant to social
networks in general:
1. At a bare minimum, how to scan photographs or operate a camera to take new
ones – in this, most of us are already very well schooled by the consumer
electronics market.
2. Awareness of the existence of Flickr and at least some of its possible uses.
3. How to sign up and upload images
4. Tagging
5. Finding appropriate groups
6. Commenting and responding to comments
7. The assumption of the value of "speaking" to the imagined community of
Interest, to an imagined world "out there".
8. An understanding of the network as a conversation- the image as social
object.
9. Understanding of CC licensing and the ethics of merging two photographs,
one of which is not your own.
10. On behalf of the contemporary Brisbane user– the idea of collaboration and
playfulness behind going out to take that image.
In the beginning of this Review of literature the therapeutic effects of taking photos
were described. The uploading of those photographs to a social network is an act of
going public with the visual shaping of oneself. It is a process of making the
intrapersonal interpersonal. Sharing one‟s photography becomes a process of
validation in which others Understand (or not) the personal meaning and facets of
identity that the photographer embedded in the image (Suler, 2008).
Beside the representation of self affect that is accompanied by the publication, the
picture seems to be more vivid and alive and that it has more power. As in art therapy,
where we usually can see a phenomena reproducing itself (in style, colors and
composition), phototreams of users can reveal the internal world of the user to himself
and to his followers. The Images sharing provide an undercurrent of emotion and
ideas that enrich interpersonal dynamics between the users, often on a level that is not
fully conscious or capable of being verbalized (Suler, 2008). Some pictures can
immediately create a sense of a connection to the photograph and in some way to the
photographer. According to the writer's experience, some pictures are objectively

47. powerful and so they lead to a numerous comments expressing emotional reaction to
the pictures. At the same time personal meaning are reflected into the image, so that
it becomes a type of nonverbal transitional space between the individual viewer and
the photographer.
Few factors changes between users (some times changes with times in the same user),
factors connected to the internal world of the user but are seen in the virtual social
network settings and not in the photograph itself:
1. Image arrangement and sequence
Every social network offer the user it's own way of displaying his or hers pictures on
their web page. However the setting is, the user always have his own personal touch
in the pictures' presentation (conscious or unconscious). Café.themarker, for example,
enable the user to create galleries, each can contain several albums (Facebok.com
offers a similar system for organizing pictures). The way those galleries and albums
are arranged, and the title given to each one, often reveal the internal classification of
the content and its emotional meanings.
Here you can see a user's three galleries presented in café.themarker:
clicking on galery will open this page, where the blue picture
situated in the upper right side called "birds" is the latest one uploaded. Following it
all pictures in this gallery by chronological order. In this a example the user is
making galleries of pictures not taken by him but buy professional well known
photographs. Never the less, looking at his chosen photographs is a glimpse into his
intrapsychic world: his memories, experiences, ideas and so on.

48. Flickr, the only photography focused social net work of those three networks on
which this research is based, offer the users personal web pages that are meat to put
photography in front of all. As you can see, the mane page of the user is his
photostream , organized by chronology, while every new picture uploaded, pushes
the older one down. Thus, Images occur in a sequence that reflects member‟s lives.
Watching one user photostream can show the followers changes in the user's
perceptions, thoughts, and emotions over time. The continuity of the strem can
resemble a stream of mental existence: It may change direction, pick up speed, slow
down, run shallow or deep. The gaps between images are as important signifiers of
psychological dynamics as are the images themselves, pointing to underlying
cognitions and affects that stimulated the transition.
2. Image's attached text
upload images to the social networks usually are accompanying buy text. people
create a title for the image and They may also add a description of one or two
sentences or, in some cases, several paragraphs. “tags” that serve as keywords that
help people locate the image using search engines, are also words attached to the

49. picture and can illuminate thoughts and associations of the photograph about his
work. All this additional text can add layers of meaning that are not immediately
obvious in the photo. In some cases, the title can be more powerful than the image
itself, as when the photographer personalizes the image with emotional self-
disclosures as titles.
For the photographer, creating a title can be a process of discovering new meanings
in the image via an internalized dialogue with imagined viewers. The photographer
must ask himself what do the viewer sees in the photograph? what do I want him to
see? What do effect does it have on me and how can I transmit this effect to the
viewer? Searching the "right" title might help the photograph to uncover his or hers
subconscious feelings, memories, and fantasies that he or she associate with the
image. Descriptions accompanying an image often serve as a narrative about an event
in one‟s life or an explanation of one‟s point of view on some subject, for which the
image serves as a illustration. This combination of the image with text is what
launches the potential for a relationship between photographers and their visitors
(Suler, 2008).
3. Comments on pictures
All virtual social networks allow visitors to comment each photo. Sometimes a
special permission or a friendship status are needed in order to comment. Comments
left by visitor can create a vivid dialogue between two or more users and even
develop an interpersonal relationship. Each member of the community face the
challenge of managing the amount of time spent in commenting on other's photos and
taking part in discussions. Sometimes comments become a sort of social barter in
which a person leaves one with the hope or expectation of getting one. In his article
"Image, Word, Action: Interpersonal Dynamics in a Photo-Sharing Community" Suler
(2008) enumerates few categories of comments:
1. Terse praise: compliment such as "beautiful composition" or "great capture"
and even "wow!" or "cool".
2. Critiques and technical remarks: constructive criticism about the technical
aspects of the shooting.
3. Personal reaction: Comment on what viewer personally like about an image,
such as the colors, subjects in the shot or sensation that the image creates.

50. Likewise, people may project their own meaning into the photo by describing
what it means to them on an emotional, social, or philosophical level.
4. Interpretations of the photograph- viewers may use the image as a vehicle for
commenting on the mood, personality, or life of the photographer.
5. Topical comments- comments about a wide range of political, philosophical,
and intellectual topics.
6. Questions- viewers might ask a question about a photo, which invites a
dialogue and possibly a relationship between the viewer and the photographer.
2.4 Cyber psychotherapy
Most people that are asked about cyber psychotherapy tend to negate it because of it's
lack of direct contact. in this chapter I will present the field of therapy on the net
trying to show that even though the shortcomings of it are real (first proof that not
everything concerning the net is virtual) it does have it's special advantages.
1. The short history of E-Therapy
General E-Therapy
The foundation of psychotherapy took place in the beginning of the previous century
when Freud developed the ides of talking as therapy. Freud believed that the psyche
has a special structure that conceals its unpleasant elements by suppression. He
thought that using therapy of talking one can bring the unconscious to conscious and
by that to remove disturbing symptoms. Since Freud no scientific proofs were found
to those theories concerning the healing affects of the treatment suggested. In spite of
that, more then four-hundred approaches to treatment were developed in the last
century, approaches that are based on different principals, assumptions, and theories.
The common between all those approaches is that they are all established on a patient
coming to tell his story.
E-Therapy is a new medium of helping people solve life and relationship-related
problems (Grohol, 1999).

51. In 1995 a first paid psychotherapy through the net was suggested by Ivan Goldberg
(Ainsworth, 2002: 205). A little more then a decade later, hundreds of sites for
psychotherapy are active and hundreds of therapists are members in the international
society for mental health online (ISMHO).
ISMHO (international society of mental health online) was established in 1997 to
promote the international community of therapists' understanding, use, and
development of on-line communications. Additionally to teaching online information
and communication, the organization deals with research and development of
computer uses for transferring information on mental health via net-based information
and support forums. The organization also seeks to establish professional standards
for the E-Therapy (Manhal-Baugus, 2001).
Art-E-Therapy
Art therapy through the net is still in its preliminary stages. The inquiry of this
area for the sake of this thesis, yielded only two testimonies to the development of art
therapy on the internet: by Kate Collie who is an art therapist and Davor Cubranic
who is a computer man. Both present through the "YouTube" a software they created
jointly which is based on drawing software and enables art therapy through the
internet while each one of the group members can see the art works of the other
members and can communicate with them. The target audience of that software is that
of invalids and people with physical limitations that do not allow them to come out of
their home. In other words, this software acted as a kind of default for those who
cannot enjoy the normative group art therapy (http://youtube.com/watch?v=pYfiRfeXTxw).
The second finding in that area was discovered in Israel on the site called "Benafshi"
(Hebrew for in my psyche- http://www.benafshi.co.il), which offers art therapy through the
internet. It was founded in the middle of 2008. Here is a segment from the actual site
(p. 140):
How is it actually conducted?
In the art therapy process, the therapist directs the patient to create some art
works whose goal is neither aesthetic nor artistic. It is meant to act as the tool
for profound connection with him/herself. Choosing the work medium occurs
through the dialogue between the therapist and the patient and it may be

52. interpreted in many ways: the use of photography per se; creating
computerized artwork and so on. The actual works are created both within the
context of the verbal dialogue formed between patient and therapist, which is
conducted through the e-mail, through a chat or through the combination of
both. Each artwork turns in its turn into the focus of the therapeutic dialogue
and into a tool for observation and the creation of immanent process of
awareness and development. Through that process, the next artwork evolves
and so on and so forth.
So, how does one begin?
It is recommended to read the article about art therapy on t he site and apply
through their "connection" column or directly with Mira Amir or Ayelet
Globerman on the list of "our professionals". If you still have doubts and
questions you can fill up our "questionnaire" and enable us top help you make
the decision.
2. Definitions and qualities of E-therapy
The term "E-Therapy" is used to describe the process of interacting conversation with
a therapist online, while the client and the therapist are in separated locations and are
using electronic means to communicate with each other (Bloom, 1997, in Manhal-
Baugus, 2001).
E-Therapy is taking places in all sorts of internet communications that exists
nowadays. Internet communication can be classified on different axes, namely
individual vs. group and synchronous vs. asynchronous (gilat, 2005):
Synchronous Asynchronous
Individual Two users simultaneously E-Mail correspondence between

53. Connected through online
Conversation software such as
messenger, ICQ and chats.
two users.
Group Virtual chat room in which many
users partake in discussion
Mailing list, forums – entries sent to
central internet page, where. They
Grohol (1999) claims that online therapy can not diagnose or treat medical or mental
disorders and therefore isn't a form of psychotherapy or psychological counseling.
According to Grohol E-Therapy is more related to personal coaching due to The
absence of nonverbal cues that gives rise to facing the critical point, the practical
problem.
In order to define what is E-therapy one must apply all it's characteristics, advantage
and disadvantage:
A. Anonymity and impersonation
Communication on the net allows people to present themselves in varied ways:
similarly to the way in which they conduct themselves in their daily lives, or
contrarily, to present themselves with fictional characters: age, gender, looks, history,
and so on. The "internet self" can be the realization of all wishes that can't be fulfilled
in real life.
Anonymity in net therapy gives rise to the therapist's uncertainty of the client's
identity. The therapist does not know if the story the client is presenting is real. Their
have been cases in which people chose to fool the therapist, and sometimes even an
entire forum, by presenting a painful life story, which elicited the sympathy and love
of others until the shame was discovered (Doron, 2004).
On the other hand anonymity encourages people to turn the counseling, support and
therapy. These can catalyze therapeutic mental processes. Anonymity causes people
to react differently from the way they would in direct contact: It reduces discomfort
and embarrassment, it suspend judgment and fear of rejection so that participants can
discuss deep and personal issues more quickly then in the traditional therapy (Manhal-
Baugus, 2001).

54. B. Lack of body language and eye contact
E-therapy nowadays does not enable non-verbal communication. The absence of body
language in the therapeutic process evidently changes the information transferred
between the client and the therapist.
According to green (2004) understanding the transference processes and the narrative
presented requires higher levels of self awareness from the therapist.
Barak (2006) points that lack of nonverbal cues reduces the transmission of emotional
expressions in the interpersonal communication and may also cause misinterpretation
of massages (caused by lack of tone accompanying the words). Because of this the
therapist must not treat issues as obvious, he must ensure that his massage is delivered
clearly and that is language is as rich and ambiguous as possible at the same time.
More over, the writer can use symbols to enrich the communication including
on).
Hall (2004) suggests the lack of body language allows the client to idealize the
therapist, fantasizing he or she looks and sounds in whatever manner most suits him.
C. Time, place and availability
E-therapy that is taking place in chats and mails requires the therapist and the client to
draw a therapeutic contract that determines when each is to send an e-mail (in most
cases the therapist replies within 24 to 72 hours), or the day and time of chat. In these
two cases the contract made between both sides is similar to the one made in
traditional therapy.
The benefit of the E-Therapy formula is the opening of lots of possibilities that were
not optional before. The contact between the client and the therapist can continue to
take place when they are both traveling, eliminating geographical obstacles, as long as
they travel in places that computers can be found. In the limit of the contract made
between the two of them, time can be best most well utilized when an answer can be
worded and sent in 2:00 am in the morning. Clients with special need that because of
metal or physical problems can not leave their homes, can make contact with a

55. therapy through the net, without the need to go out. Of course, the benefit of a most
successful treatment may sometimes demand confronting the difficulties later on, but
at list the possibility to start the treatment in a more friendly way is possible.
Those three factors make the therapist much more available to the client then in the
classical therapy.
D. Professional Diagnosis
The contact made through the internet eliminates some possibilities of diagnose
for the therapist. According to Shefler (2005) a clinical examination (diagnostic
and impressional) that includes seeing and observing the client is integral part
with the therapeutic process. The lack of objective visual status of the client, as
well as the subjective one (the overall impression and transference for example)
hinders the diagnostic assessment. Verifying the hypnosis made about the client
become a lot more difficult and thus impedes offering him the most suitableform
of therapy.
E. Documentation
In his article "Online psychotherapy as a secure frame" suggests Green (2005) that
form of writing emails enables the option of rereading previous conversations
written by both the client and the therapist (by both of them). This ability may be
a tool of verifying the subjective memory and interpretations as well as providing
documentation that perform equality between the therapist and the client.
F. Security on the net
The documentation presented in the previous paragraph is with no doubt a
powerful tool for the therapist but also raises one of the important ethical issues in
E-Therapy: security risks in on-line communication can take place while logging
in, while transmitting information, in a synchronized or synchronized way, and, to
finish, as a result of breaking into the therapist's or client's protective systems. The
security and secrecy provided for the client, sais Mahal-Baugus (2001), must be
maximal. The therapist have to protect the information transmitted between him
and the clients by using as secured as possible server, site and computer.

56. Chapter 3- Methodology
3.1 Description of the research
The goal of this research is to examine the motives of people who are members on
social internet nets to share their photographs within the framework of that social
network. The research will follow the way in which these participants perceive their
conduct and attempt to answer the question: what are the needs that the participation
in a social network fulfills and what are the emotions evolving because of that.
Through the data of the interviews and their analysis I shall attempt to examine if a
support system of art therapists and photo- therapists should be built within these
social networks; meaning, to offer virtual therapeutic connection within the social
system which is virtual.
3.2 The tools of the research

57. 3.2.1 The qualitative research
The qualitative research is a "human research" which is particularly suitable for the
areas of education, nursing, anthropology, sociology and psychology (Shkedi, 2003).
The qualitative research complements the quantitative approach attempting to
understand, in depth, the nature of the research participants' behavior and the way in
which they comprehend their own behavior (Zabar Ben-Yehoshua, 1990).
There are various kinds of qualitative researches such as ethnographic research
and the phenomenological one. The phenomenological researches – as the present
one- handle the research of phenomena and the collection of data is done through in-
depth interviews and/or observations. In this kind of research, the researcher collects
information from the research participants who experienced the researched
phenomenon personally and through that, aspires to comprehend the essence of that
experience (Creswell, 1989).
Nevertheless and despite the division into various kinds of qualitative
researches, it is possible to find five characteristics in all of them, as explained by
Bogdan and Biklen (1982):
a. The researcher is the one who mainly affects the quality of the research
due to his/her ability to absorb, internalize, question, open, act with
sensitivity and so on.
b. The qualitative research is descriptive which is why the introduction of the
data and conclusions would contain quotations, photographs, certificates,
documents etc.
c. The qualitative research concerns the process, which is why there would
be emphasis of the process through the research (i.e. through questions that
appear in the questionnaire).
d. The qualitative researcher aspires to understand what the interrogee's
profound understanding is about reality, which is why it would be
emphasized in the research tools through the way the interrogee
comprehends the issues.
e. The aim of the qualitative researchers is not to confirm or refute an
assumption in their research but they rather build their perception along
the research, based on evidence, testimonies and information.
3.2.2 The semi-structured interview

58. The roots of the in-depth interview stem from the phenomenological tradition. Within
its framework, the researchers try to comprehend reality, as it is perceived by the
research participants. The in-depth interview is one of the most prevalent and most
salient methods through which the researchers can try to understand human –beings.
The goal of the in-depth interview is not to get answers to questions or to examine
certain assumptions – in the midst of the in-depth interview there is the will to
understand the experience of other people and the meaning they ascribe to that
experience. The interview enables access to the cultural context of the human
behavior and this it provides the researchers the possibility to understand the meaning
and the behavior. Formulation of the questions and getting answers to them are not a
simple mission. Even if the researcher formulates the questions most carefully,
encodes the answers of the interrogees cautiously, and still the written or said word
carry a trail of some lack of clarity (Shkedi, 2003).
The interview is held face to face to hear the opinion and/or experience of the
interrogees about the researched subject. The questionnaire may be structured
according to questions that were prepared beforehand. These may be semi-structured
in which, in addition to the questions that were prepared beforehand, new ones are
added following that which emerges through the themes introduced by the research
participants or it may be an open encounter. In the standard, structured interview the
formulation of the questions, their order and the explanations that may be given to the
interviewees are written in advance. The interviewer adds nothing. Contrary to that,
on the other pole, the open-end interview is friendly and informal; its questions are
spontaneous and the interviewer has no defined program and it does not direct the
interrogee but only encourages him/her to talk about his/her experiences and opinions.
3.3 The research field
The in-depth interview will be transferred to people from the three social nets (five
people from each social net), Israeli and international ones in which there is the
sharing of pictures:
 flickr.com
 café.themarker.com
 facebook.com

59. 3.4 Implementation of the methodology in this research
This research aims to examine the existence of photography as therapy on the internet
in the present. As such, it attempts to learn the meaning given to the publication of
pictures on the internet (by the advertiser), the motives, the needs it responds to and
the healing dimensions existing in it.
For the sake of such examination, the method of the qualitative research was
chosen, using the in-depth questionnaire.
The research will be conducted through semi-structured phenomenological
interviews. The interviews would be held according to a questionnaire prepared
beforehand but there would be the possibility to let in additional questions according
to the themes that would be mentioned by the interrogees. Thus, it would be possible
to understand the process that each one of the participants went through as well as the
essence of the experience of publishing pictures on the internet by each and every one
and still allow the interrogees to tell their experiences; to describe events they deem
important and express their positions. Thus, a profound understanding of the
researched phenomenon would be enabled.
Through the various interviews, I shall inquire the meanings granted to the
activity discussed by the people. Yossiffon (2001) described it as follows: "The
inquiry of a collective case is the collection of dew specific cases through which some
things may be learned; either through comparison emphasizing the generics or
through the form of unity which emphasizes the similar" (p. 270).
3.5 The limitations of the research
Since the research was held following the personal experience of the researcher (the
writer of this thesis), it is possible that my experience and personal perception of the
subject affected the way in which I perceived the answers of the research participants.
In addition, since the interrogees were required to share personal themes it may be
possible that their answers to the questions were not totally reliable.
In the data analysis, the answers were ascribed full reliability due to my inability to
examine the personal experience of the interviewees in any other way. Still, meaning
was given to non-verbal insinuations such as body language, tone of speech or any

60. other datum insinuating sensitivity instigated by the questions, which in turn, evoked
the sensation of unreliability.
3.6 Ethics
The people described in the research signed a consent form about their participation in
it after they were given explanation about the themes of the research and its goals.
They were given the possibility to remain anonymous. The data analysis will not
include reference to the pictures of the interrogees on the net (i.e. no name of the
interviewee on the site and/or link to it would be provided). Thus the reader of this
thesis would not have the possibility to surf on the works of the interviewees on the
net even though these are open to the public on the internet. That choice had been
made to enable the interviewees to share personal details and ensure their
confidentiality.
3.7 Analysis of the findings
The analysis of the findings would be made based on the data that emerged through
the interviews. Relevant examples from the interviews would be presented.
Scrutinizing of the findings brought up few major themes within the context of
sharing photographs on virtual social nets:
The social net motivates its members to take photographs
The findings show that social nets constituted a major motive, which caused the
participants in them to photograph more often and at times even to start this artistic
creation, which did not exist in their world prior to that.
Examples for sayings that testify about the net as motive for photography:
 "I think that photography is most meaningful in my life since Flickr. It is very
big in my life for a lot of reasons. It has opened me to worlds in various areas,
as well as with me and as well as artistically. The way of observing things. It
is as though something was missing for me and the photography has filled
that. Beyond searching through Goggle I did not surf on the net at all and now
the whole internet is open before me. It opened a lot of things, also regarding