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This summer we are teaching a series of three linked short courses in photographic conservation at West Dean College, in collaboration with Stephanie Jamieson. Running from May to September 2026, the series moves progressively through the core competencies of the field — from process identification and deterioration science to preservation strategy and collection care. Each course is designed to function independently as well as to work as part of the complete sequence, and all three draw on our study collection alongside examples from West Dean's photographic archive.
Conservation of Photographic Materials 1: Photographic Process Identification — 18–20 May 2026, £659
This course develops systematic skills for identifying photographic processes from the nineteenth century to the present day. Combining a scientific layer-structure approach with targeted spot-testing protocols, participants build reliable methods for distinguishing processes that may appear visually similar — from daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and salted paper prints through to silver gelatin, platinum/palladium, colour photography, and digital technologies. Extensive hands-on workshops develop standardised examination and documentation methods.
Conservation of Photographic Materials 2: Deterioration and Condition Assessment — 8–10 June 2026, £659
This course builds a scientific understanding of how and why photographic materials deteriorate, examining chemical and physical mechanisms across different process types with particular attention to film-based materials including nitrate and acetate. Participants develop systematic methodologies for condition assessment, learning to distinguish active from inactive deterioration and to apply risk-based approaches to conservation prioritisation and professional documentation.
Conservation of Photographic Materials 3: Preservation Strategies and Collection Care — 14–16 September 2026, £659
The final course in the series focuses on preventive conservation and the long-term management of photographic collections. Topics include environmental control, protective housing construction, storage solutions for different photographic formats, preservation planning, digitisation, disaster preparedness, and conservation ethics. Participants leave having constructed their own protective enclosures alongside a broader grounding in collection management practice and professional development.
All three courses are held at West Dean, West Sussex, and are suited to intermediate and advanced participants — conservation students, collection managers, archivists, and heritage professionals with responsibility for photographic collections.
This summer we are teaching a series of three linked short courses in photographic conservation at West Dean College, in collaboration with Stephanie Jamieson. Running from May to September 2026, the series moves progressively through the core competencies of the field — from process identification and deterioration science to preservation strategy and collection care. Each course is designed to function independently as well as to work as part of the complete sequence, and all three draw on our study collection alongside examples from West Dean's photographic archive.
Conservation of Photographic Materials 1: Photographic Process Identification — 18–20 May 2026, £659
This course develops systematic skills for identifying photographic processes from the nineteenth century to the present day. Combining a scientific layer-structure approach with targeted spot-testing protocols, participants build reliable methods for distinguishing processes that may appear visually similar — from daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and salted paper prints through to silver gelatin, platinum/palladium, colour photography, and digital technologies. Extensive hands-on workshops develop standardised examination and documentation methods.
Conservation of Photographic Materials 2: Deterioration and Condition Assessment — 8–10 June 2026, £659
This course builds a scientific understanding of how and why photographic materials deteriorate, examining chemical and physical mechanisms across different process types with particular attention to film-based materials including nitrate and acetate. Participants develop systematic methodologies for condition assessment, learning to distinguish active from inactive deterioration and to apply risk-based approaches to conservation prioritisation and professional documentation.
Conservation of Photographic Materials 3: Preservation Strategies and Collection Care — 14–16 September 2026, £659
The final course in the series focuses on preventive conservation and the long-term management of photographic collections. Topics include environmental control, protective housing construction, storage solutions for different photographic formats, preservation planning, digitisation, disaster preparedness, and conservation ethics. Participants leave having constructed their own protective enclosures alongside a broader grounding in collection management practice and professional development.
All three courses are held at West Dean, West Sussex, and are suited to intermediate and advanced participants — conservation students, collection managers, archivists, and heritage professionals with responsibility for photographic collections.