This study examined how an environmental photography assignment affected undergraduate students' connection to nature. Eighteen students took nature photos over 6 weeks and submitted logs. Thematic analysis of the logs, interviews, and researcher-created collages found the assignment increased students' appreciation for nature, awareness of pollution, and desire to spend time outdoors. However, it did not necessarily expand their sense of self to include nature. The changes suggested the assignment fostered pro-environmental attitudes. Further research is needed to understand long-term impacts and how to strengthen students' connection to nature.

1. Affect of Nature Photography Assignment
on Nature Consciousness in Undergraduate Students
Barbara Dawn Drake, PhD
American Psychological Association
Division 34: Society for Environmental, Population
and Conservation Psychology (SEPCP)
2014 American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention
Washington, D.C.
Poster Presentation
August 8, 2014

2. © 2014, Barbara Dawn Drake 2
Affect of Nature Photography Assignment on Nature Consciousness in Undergraduate
Students
Barbara Dawn Drake, PhD
Abstract
This 2-phase study used a mixed-methods approach to explore what undergraduate
photojournalism students (N = 18) experienced when they completed a 6-week
environmentally themed assignment to take nature photographs in outdoor environments.
The qualitative research, which is the focus of this presentation, was a thematic analysis of
the participants’ photo-shoot logs, follow-up interviews, and collages that the researcher
created based on participants’ photographs and comments.
The thematic analysis considered
• whether the participants experienced changes that would be consistent with
development of an ecological self,
• what influenced their experiences during the photo-shoots, and
• what meanings they attributed to their experiences.
Introduction
Studying activities that enhance feelings of connection and concern for nature can assist in
developing programs that foster pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, and perhaps even
development of the ecological self. The ecological self (Naess, 1995) is a sense of self that
extends beyond personal ego, and even beyond feeling empathy for something that is other.
It includes nature in one’s personal sense of self.
Feelings of connection with nature can be expected to promote responsible environmental
choices in personal actions and social policy-making. Undergraduate students were the focus
of this study because they will be the parents, consumers, voters, and leaders who will be
making decisions that affect our environment in the decades ahead (Drake, 2013).
Participants
• Students in two undergraduate photojournalism classes at the same school, with the
same instructor, but one year apart (2012, n = 7; and 2013, n = 11)
• 18 students: 14 females, 4 males
• Ages: 18-22

3. © 2014, Barbara Dawn Drake 3
Qualitative Methods
Data collection. Each participant completed at least 5 outdoor photographic shoots over a
period of 8 weeks, submitted a photo-shoot log for each shoot (total of 115 logs), and
participated in a face-to-face follow-up interview during the final week of the assignment.
Data analysis. Themes emerged based on photo-shoot log entries, interviews, and collages
(Figure 1) created by the researcher; the collages incorporated comments and photographs
from the participants.
Figure 1. Representative example of researcher’s collages using participant’s data
(photographs used with participant’s permission).

4. © 2014, Barbara Dawn Drake 4
Thematic Analysis Results
The thematic analysis provided insights into the participants’ perceptions of their experiences
and the factors that influenced those perceptions. The themes that emerged from the study are
shown below.
• Shifts. These themes addressed the changes that occurred that may be associated with
development of an ecological self.
• Awareness
o Attention
o Environmental awareness
• Consciousness
o Emotional
o Empathy
o Transpersonal
• Attitude
o Appreciation
o Desire to experience nature
o Desire to retreat from nature
o
• Influences. These were the themes that influenced occurrence of the shifts.
• Supporting
o Assignment
o Novel experiences
o Seeing through a camera
• Inhibiting
o Distractions
o Lack of motivation
• Meanings. These were the meanings that the participants associated with their
experiences and photographs.
• Beauty
• Environmental caring
• Happiness
• Serenity

5. © 2014, Barbara Dawn Drake 5
Conclusion
The assignment was effective in motivating participants to spend time in nature, which
resulted in significant expressions of appreciation for nature, greater desire to spend time
outdoors, and enhanced attention to what occurs in nature. It also facilitated awareness of the
presence and effects of visible pollution (specifically, litter). There did not appear to be an
expanded sense of self that suggested development of the ecological self. However, the
changes that participants described and their desire to inspire environmental caring in those
who view their photographs suggests that the assignment did contribute to pro-environmental
attitudes and behaviors. If the participants continue to make time to be outdoors, their sense
of self may expand to include nature at some future time.
These results indicate that it is possible to assign photographic projects that will affect
students’ feelings about nature and being outdoors, and inspire a desire to protect nature.
Further research is recommended to confirm this exploratory study and to find way to
enhance the effects of the assignment. Follow-up studies with participants are also
recommended to determine whether the changes that occurred in this study have a long term
influence on participants’ attitudes and behaviors, and whether a sense of ecological self does
develop in time.
Contact Information
Dawn Drake, PhD
863-602-0059
DrBDDrake@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/bddrake/

6. © 2014, Barbara Dawn Drake 6
References
Drake, D. (2013). Nature photography and the ecological self: An exploration of college
students' experience of an environmental photography assignment. (Doctoral
dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. (3567420).
Naess, A. (1995). Self-realization: An ecological approach to being in the world. In A.
Drengson & Y. Inoue (Eds.), The deep ecology movement: An introductory anthology
(pp. 13-30). Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

7. Introduction
Studying activities that enhance feelings of
connection and concern for nature can assist
in developing programs that foster pro-
environmental attitudes and behaviors, and
perhaps even development of the ecological
self. The ecological self (Naess, 1995) is a sense
of self that extends beyond personal ego, and
even beyond feeling empathy for something
that is other. It includes nature in one’s
personal sense of self.
Feelings of connection with nature can be
expected to promote responsible environmental
choices in personal actions and social policy-
making. Undergraduate students were the
focus of this study because they will be the
parents, consumers, voters, and leaders who
will be making decisions that affect
our environment in the decades ahead
(Drake, 2013).
Affect of Nature Photography Assignment
on Nature Consciousness in Undergraduate Students
Barbara Dawn Drake, PhD
Barbara Dawn Drake, PhD
DrBDDrake@gmail.com
References
Drake, B. D. (2013). Nature photography and the ecological
self: An exploration of college students’ experience of
an environmental photography assignment. (Doctoral
dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
(3567420).
Naess, A. (1995). Self-realization: An ecological approach to
being in the world. In A. Drengson & Y. Inoue (Eds.),
The deep ecology movement: An introductory anthology
(pp. 13-30). Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Qualitative Method
Data Collection
Each participant (N = 18) completed at least
5 outdoor photographic shoots over a period of
8 weeks, submitted a photo-shoot log for each
shoot (total of 115 logs), and participated in a
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the assignment.
Thematic Analysis
Themes emerged from photo-shoot log entries,
interviews, and collages that the researcher
created using participants’ photographs
and comments.
Abstract
This 2-phase study used a mixed-methods
approach to explore what undergraduate
photojournalism students (N = 18) experienced
when they completed a 6-week environmentally
themed assignment to take nature photographs
in outdoor environments.
The qualitative research, which is the focus
of this presentation, was a thematic analysis
of the participants’ photo-shoot logs, follow-
up interviews, and collages that the researcher
created based on participants’ photographs
and comments.
The thematic analysis considered
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changes that would be consistent with
development of an ecological self,
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photo-shoots, and
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their experiences.
Representative example of the researcher’s collages using participants’ data
Thematic Results
Conclusion
The assignment was effective in motivating participants
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expressions of appreciation for nature, greater desire
to spend time outdoors, and enhanced attention to what
occurs in nature. It also facilitated awareness of the
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litter). There did not appear to be an expanded sense
of self that suggested development of the ecological self.
However, the changes that participants described and
their desire to inspire environmental caring in those
who view their photographs suggests that the
assignment did contribute to pro-environmental
attitudes and behaviors. If the participants continue to
make time to be outdoors, their sense of self may expand
to include nature at some future time. Further studies
would be needed to evaluate the long term outcomes.
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Division 34: Society for Environmental, Population
and Conservation Psychology (SEPCP)
2014 American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention
Washington, D.C.
Poster Presentation
August 8, 2014
Barbara Dawn Drake, PhD
DrBDDrake@gmail.com
© 2014, Barbara Dawn Drake