Another subset of ethnography, garbology is the study of human behavioral patterns via observation of waste. A visual analysis of human detritus can reveal not only patterns of eating, working, travel, and leisure, but also a wealth of details regarding local infrastructure, packaging, waste management, and cultural values.
Human observation, one of the larger subsets of ethnographic research, can be greatly augmented by photography. In the context of trend spotting, photography can reveal new behavior, innovative solutions, and creative practices as seen in the field.
In addition to video footage, written observation, purchase tracking, and interviews, photography is frequently utilized in ethnographic studies. Though ethnography is used across the entire field of market research, it is especially helpful with trend analysis as it can be utilized to identify trends before significant changes take place in mainstream society.
