Students, colleagues and invited guests, including the Ambassador of Ecuador, joined a lively discussion about using photography as a research tool.

The evening launched an exhibition Hybridity and Identity: Images from the Ecuadorian Andes by PhD researcher, Andrea Espinoza, from the Department of International Development in The Exchange, Bush House.

The discussion, chaired by Dr Jelke Boesten, considered photography both as a research method as well as a channel of communication.

Andrea Espinoza was joined by fellow PhD researchers Gabriel Garroum Pla(Dept of War Studies), Antonella Mazone (Department of International Development), to share their motivations for using photography as their chosen medium, namely, as documentation, as representation, and as process.

Questions arose concerning the ethical dilemmas of using photos to capture a perceived ‘reality’, the potential bias of the photographer when selecting images to display and the power of images to inform attitudes in an increasingly visual culture. The panel highlighted the importance of a clear purpose for using photography as a tool to support a multi-faceted research approach.

Andrea said: “The event offered the opportunity to share our research and receive feedback, comments and fresh perspectives from a large variety of people. It also makes me feel inspired by the work of others; this interaction is key to form a stronger and more diverse academic community.”

Events like these invite scholars to consider how to communicate their research through artistic mediums, challenging traditional academic outputs.  The Exchange space aims to be a creative hub of transfer of ideas, encouraging collaboration and innovative ways to reach audiences beyond academia.