Anthropology and Photography Short Course
Course description
This is an introductory course to anthropology and the medium of vernacular photography. What is everyday life? These represent the routines, repetitions, the small insignificant things. How can we capture this part of ordinary life? How can we make a record? Both photographers and anthropologists have tried their best to preserve such invisible worlds.
Visual anthropology explores the ways in which photography is interwoven with everyday life, examining its use as a form of documentation and cultural expression. It also investigates the impact of photography on people’s lives, how it shapes their identities, and how it reflects their social and cultural realities. This field recognizes the evolving role of photography, from a tool of recording to a form of artistic expression and a means of storytelling.
Taught through a combination of illustrated lectures, discussions and practical exercises, this course invites participants to conduct small photo diaries on ordinary life in their own environments.
This course is designed for anyone with an interest in anthropology and photography. No previous knowledge of anthropology is required.
Key information
- Introduction to visual anthropology
- Theories of everyday life
- Practical exercises in photography
- Presentations and critical feedback
- Summary and group discussion
Learning outcomes
- Gain ground knowledge of the history of anthropology and photography and learn about the theory of everyday life
- Be equipped to analyse images critically in regard to questions of representation and identity
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
- Laptop or iPad
- Mobile phone with camera
- Sketchbook and pencils
- Notebook and some pens for taking notes
Tutor
Barbara Knorpp
Dr Barbara Knorpp is a visual anthropologist with a special interest in film history based in London. She has taught and done research in higher education in the UK, Germany, Australia, Austria, and Japan for nearly two decades and has worked as a curator in museums and art galleries, and as a picture researcher in commercial photography. Her background lies in theatre, film, and television studies and art history. She is currently associated with Open City Docs UCL.
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