De Montfort University's Photographic History Research Centre has published the programme for its 2026 conference. Keynotes will be given by Mirjam Brusius and Kelley Wilder. Registration for the hybrid event is also open.
Since its inception, photography has relied upon diverse forms of knowledge (ranging from chemistry, physics, and mechanics to the arts) and in turn has produced knowledge across a wide array of fields. Yet, much of this knowledge remains tacit. Researchers attempting to recreate early photographic techniques know all too well that faithfully following historical manuals or recipes does not always yield successful results. These instructions often depend on implicit knowledge, unspoken assumptions, or experiential skills acquired only through practice and repetition. Similarly, photography’s epistemological contributions to areas such as medicine and industry, where cameras and photographs have functioned as instrumental tools, are frequently overlooked or under-acknowledged.
Even in efforts to recover these unspoken practices, scholars and historians may inadvertently reinforce their invisibility. While historiographical approaches may attempt to bridge these gaps, the absence of explicit methodological reflection often perpetuates reliance on assumed, unspoken knowledge.
At the 2026 PHRC Annual Conference, speakers will investigate the many ways in which photography has relied upon, generated, challenged, or perpetuated tacit knowledge. Particular attention will be given to the contemporary relevance and significance of the topic under discussion, the politics of photography’s tacit knowledge and to methodological and theoretical insight related direct;y to research in this area.
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