Purpose: This article explores the possibilities of incorporating such visual methods as photoelicitation and photovoice into qualitative research in order to retrieve something that, as a result of particular group socialisation, has been hidden, unspoken of or marginalised.Design/methodology/approach: The research design combines 40 in-depth verbal interviews with male butchers with the use of photoelicitation and photovoice in order to increase participants' control of data generation.