Cameraless Photography: 200 Years (1826–2026)
Studies in Photography Gallery
Featuring Scholz, Hamilton, Dessain, Kenny, Chalmers, Grospierre, Östlund, Jo de Pear & Nammari
6 William Street
26 June – 25 July
In celebration of 200 years since the birth of photography, Studies in Photography Gallery presents a landmark exhibition dedicated to the enduring and experimental practice of cameraless image-making.
Long before the widespread use of cameras, artists and inventors were already harnessing light itself as a creative tool. This exhibition brings together leading contemporary cameraless artists whose work continues this spirit of innovation — expanding the possibilities of photographic practice beyond the lens.
Aindreas Scholz - And So I Watch You From Afar#04
Origins
The foundations of photography can be traced to the early 19th century and the pioneering work of Nicéphore Niépce, who developed one of the first photographic processes known as heliography, meaning “sun drawing.”
Around 1822, Niépce discovered that bitumen—a naturally occurring substance—would harden when exposed to light. By coating surfaces such as metal, glass, or stone with this material and exposing them to sunlight, he was able to create permanent images. After exposure, the unhardened areas could be dissolved, leaving behind a fixed image formed purely by the action of light.
In the summer of 1826, Niépce achieved a historic breakthrough: the first permanent photographic image captured from nature. Known as View from the Window at Le Gras, this image required an extraordinary exposure time—likely several days—marking both the technical challenge and the poetic patience of early photographic experimentation.
From Experiment to Legacy
Niépce’s heliographic process also led to early forms of photo-based printing techniques, including photolithography and photogravure. His methods allowed images to be reproduced without traditional hand engraving, laying the groundwork for photography as both an artistic and reproductive medium.
Although some of his earliest works have been lost, surviving prints from the mid-1820s—such as images of a man with a horse and a woman with a spinning wheel—remain as powerful testaments to this revolutionary moment. These works are among the first examples of images created not by hand, but by light itself.
Cameraless Photography Today
Two centuries later, artists continue to explore and reinvent cameraless processes. From photograms to chemical abstractions, the artists in this exhibition engage directly with materials, light, and time—echoing Niépce’s original experiments while pushing the medium into new conceptual and aesthetic territories.
This exhibition invites viewers to consider photography not just as a means of representation, but as a physical, experimental, and deeply expressive practice.
Venues
Studies in Photography Gallery, 6 William Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7NH
26 June – 25 July
Space to Breathe, Bowhouse, Fife, KY10 2DB
26 June – 8 August 2026
Contact
Press Enquiries - For further information, images, and interviews:
Amal Abdessaid
amalabdessaid14@icloud.com
Free entry | All welcome
