Exhibitions - Journals - Books - Collaborations - Offsite projects

Book launch and seminar in May 2026

In May 2026, Studies in Photography will publish Hill & Adamson: The Fisherwomen and Men of the Firth of Forth, by historian Sara Stevenson. This new volume reconsiders the pioneering partnership of David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson, whose collaboration from 1843–47 created some of photography’s most enduring portraits. Their images of Firth of Forth fisherfolk—at once dignified and hard-lived—mark a watershed in the evolution of the photographic portrait. Although Adamson’s early death ended the partnership, Hill remained central to Scottish art, serving as Secretary of the Royal Scottish Academy from 1836 to 1869 and helping shape its identity. The publication celebrates their artistic legacy and the continuing influence of Hill’s work. A companion seminar in May will revisit their significance and Scotland’s position at the forefront of early photography.

Michalina Kacperak– represented by the Jednostka Gallery in Warsaw – is a leading new voice in contemporary Polish photography. Her work addresses family trauma and the intergenerational impact of alcoholism, often involving relatives directly in her creative process. Transforming personal experience into powerful visual narratives, Kacperak’s practice speaks to broader themes of memory, vulnerability, and resilience. This exhibition at The Studies in Photography Gallery, Edinburgh, as part of the 2026 art festival programme, marks her first major presentation in the United Kingdom.

Now entering its second year, PhotoDalkeith has quickly established itself as a vibrant platform for photographic culture in Scotland. For its 2026 edition, Studies in Photography, curator Julie Lawson working in collaboration with Calum Colvin RSA, will co-curate the exhibition for the Royal Scottish Academy. This partnership brings together extensive curatorial expertise and a shared commitment to supporting both established and emerging photographic talent. Building on the success of previous editions, the 2026 programme will further strengthen PhotoDalkeith’s role in promoting dialogue, innovation, and public engagement with contemporary and historical photography.

Installation of sculpture and book lauch in September 2026

In 2026, Studies in Photography proposes to mark an important artistic and historical convergence by reinstalling Douglas Gordon’s acclaimed sculpture Black Burns in the Robert Burns Monument on Calton Hill. Originally presented in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in 2017, the work reinterprets the white marble statue of Robert Burns by John Flaxman, which once stood in the same monument. To coincide with this reinstallation, Studies in Photography will also publish a new book, Black Burns by Douglas Gordon, celebrating the artist’s conceptual and creative process in developing the sculpture. Returning Black Burns to its original architectural setting not only re-establishes the dialogue between Gordon’s contemporary vision and Flaxman’s neoclassical form, but also resonates with the bicentenary of Flaxman’s death in 1826. Together, the exhibition and publication will offer a powerful reflection on memory, reinterpretation, and the enduring presence of art across
centuries.