Photographs can provide a window which can let you see how internal relations interact with the external world. Generally, our first experiences of relationships within photographs are from family photograph albums which, in themselves, can be telling documents (often described as a PR document) and offers valuable insight into family life. These images are in turn linked to memory and identity formation.
Exploring relationships through photography is underpinned by attachment theory, family systems theory, and object relations. In some therapeutic settings it can be a good idea to ask clients to bring in pre-existing photographs of their families. In other settings it is beneficial to take a more abstract approach and ask clients to take photographs of everyday objects within the environment which represent relationships that are important to them, then explore the meaning behind the image.
Examples from practice:
Battle scars:
The first of these two images was taken to represent how the participant felt about herself. She liked her own space, and she liked to sing to herself, but on closer inspection she is barely gripping on and sitting on top of potential crises. The second image represents how she feels other people see her and she believes they regard her as a form of support, reliable, and always there, but a bit broken and unapproachable sometimes.
Therapeutic Photography 