Geeky, cheeky, serious or plain? What's the reasoning behind the photo you choose to place on the social networking site Facebook - or the photo you give to friends and family?

It's just one topic to be explored by Judy Weiser, a world authority on the emotional content of photographs, when she visits the University of Derby this month for a public workshop on Phototherapy.

Judy Weiser, a globally renowned psychologist and art therapist, who has been using photos to assist her therapy practice for more than 30 years, is visiting the UK this autumn to take part in a series of international lectures and teach two workshops in this subject area.

By using Phototherapy techniques to unlock responses to photographs, counsellors and therapists can help people overcome personal or family problems and even people who don't need therapy can use the same tools to explore their own lives and gain insight into their relationships, feelings and behaviours.

Judy was also a consultant to Kodak in its recent research assessing the role of technology in relationships and the impact that images can have on people's connections with family and friends - especially regarding feelings of loneliness - and how people can use photos to feel better and strengthen relationships.

Judy said: "Most people interested in photos focus on the 'what and how' of photography but not as much time exploring the 'why'.

"But the reasons why we take, keep and share photos should be as important to photographers and the general public as it is to therapists and counsellors: What is it about photographs that makes people want to connect with them so much?

"And how has digital technology changed our relationship with photos and what we choose to do with them - for example, the decisions we make in relation to which ones we select to put on social networking sites or share electronically with friends?"

Judy has set up a Facebook group for people interested in sharing and exchanging information about various uses of ordinary daily life (non-art) photography for exploring ourselves and others.

One thing the study revealed is that despite the ease of technology to show and share photos electronically, people nevertheless reported they prefer to keep the photos in a place where they can physically touch them such as albums or in picture frames. The photos people choose to keep around them will be those most strongly emotionally connected to the memories, thoughts and feelings evoked, according to Weiser 'of the moments and places where their heart has paused to feel.'

Having given a training workshop in Phototherapy techniques at Derby three years ago, Judy Weiser happily accepted the invitation from Nick Stein, Programme Leader for the MA Art Therapy at the University, who organised the workshop in consultation with Sheffield University Masters Graduate and art psychotherapist Mark Wheeler.

Nick said: "We are delighted to be welcoming Judy to the University for what should be a fascinating workshop for the public to understand more about phototherapy."

Source: University of Derby