Visible Flow: Geo-photography as a methodological approach for the investigation of the Retrone River

This integrated article and photographic essay have been developed from a shared experience of one year along the banks of a short stretch of the Retrone River, in Vicenza (Italy), between a geographer and a photographer, merging these disciplines into a single reflection on inhabiting and understanding the margins – the riverbanks. The proposition of geo-photography as an interdisciplinary research method situated at the intersection of science and art, is put forward, in the wake of creative geographies. This approach, which is rarely adopted in the geographical academic world, aims to raise awareness and cultivate sensitivity towards waterways. However, it is of significant value in the investigation of the ongoing transformations in the urban landscape where the river flows and it appears to hold great promise in opening new perspectives, especially in the capacity of exchange and communicating with other ongoing initiatives for the protection of the riverscape. This approach involves a repositioning of the focal point to encompass the intricate interplay between water and land. The objective is to transcend the conventional anthropocentric and exploitive paradigm on waterscapes in favour of an egalitarian interspecies research approach within this landscape.