Photographs capture what, without them, would be carried away by the flow of time. Photographs are visual constructions. They create still images of trans- formation processes. moreAs snapshots of urban…

Photographs capture what, without them, would be carried away by the flow of time. Photographs are visual constructions. They create still images of trans- formation processes. moreAs snapshots of urban change, photographs visualize processes such as migration flows, urban growth, real estate speculation, and the decay of neighbourhoods. By means of photographs, visible sections of reality turn into statements, narratives, documents, and testimonies. Photo- graphic images are an integral part of numerous cultures of knowledge. They belong to the observation and research practices of cultural anthropology, ethnography, and urban sociology. How is the medium of photography used in the analytical and planning practice of urbanism? Which clichés and stereo- types are confirmed or deconstructed? And how much scope is left for artistic inventions?