Photography

Female photographer taking pictures in white room

Photography research

Explore our work in photography, one of 6 areas of expertise within our Art and Design: History, Theory and Practice research

In our Photography research, we're using photographic art practice as an investigative tool. We're exploring photography as a medium, and investigating how photographic practices shape individual subjectivity and modernity.

Photography helps to investigate world issues through art practice. Our research highlights important social and cultural issues and makes them visible in distinct ways, drawing on subjects like art history, cultural theory and philosophy.

Photography is constantly evolving in its engagement, interpretation and distribution. Our research adds to current debates in contemporary photographic practice and asks questions like how photography can be used to propose theoretical considerations, how subjectivity is defined through photography, and how photographic practice proposes new ways of thinking about the world.

Our research focuses on the following topics:

Photographic art practice
Photographic theory
Practice as research
Psychoanalytic theory
Vernacular photographic practices

Our research outputs have been published in leading print journals including Photoworks, Source and Aperture, and in online journals such as 1000 words. Our work has also been featured at conferences on photographic research at institutions such as Goldsmiths and the University of Brighton, and at photo festivals including the Brighton Photo Biennale, Paris Photo, and Format Festival.

Methods and facilities

Our research explores the practices, history and medium of photography in both practical and theoretical ways. Our academic and research staff have decades of professional industry experience – as well as experience with many different photographic techniques and practices – and the methods they employ shape the work we do.

Our photographic facilities include film and digital cameras of all formats, studios, colour and black and white darkrooms, and large format digital printing.

Recent projects include

Mass Photography: Collective Histories of Everyday Life

I. B. Tauris, 2015, Dr Annabella Pollen
Photography Reframed: New Visions in Contemporary Photographic Culture

Ben Burbridge ed.,2018

Discover our areas of expertise

Photography is one of 6 areas of expertise within our Art and Design: History, Theory and Practice research. Explore the others below.

Fashion and textiles

Our fashion and textiles research is addressing important issues around fashion and textile design and its associated industries.

close-up fabric detail on fashionable jacket

Graphic and communication design

Our research is looking at the history of design, and ethnographic studies in relation to design, design usability, legibility studies, design knowledge, and epistemology.

Mike Harkin 'graphic communication' artwork

History and theory of art and design

We're exploring the historical production and consumption of art and design in wider social, cultural, political and economic contexts, with a particular emphasis on curation and exhibitions.

Visitor looking at artworks on the wall at Tate Modern, London

Visual and material culture

Concepts such as taste are the product of cultural and social forces – and through our visual and material culture research, we're working to uncover the concepts at work.

Young woman wearing Donald Duck sweatshirt

Illustration and art of the book

We're exploring how self-publishing allows a more diverse range of authors to communicate with an audience – and how zines and artist's books can tackle non-traditional subjects.

Illustrator drawing in sketch book, close-up

Interested in a PhD in Art & Design?

Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Art & Design postgraduate research degrees page.