Kerstin Hacker

Dr. Kerstin Hacker is a renowned photographer, practice-based researcher, and academic based in Cambridge, UK, known for her unique approach to visual storytelling and collaborative research. Her work dismantles established documentary norms, challenging stereotypes often associated with African visual narratives and promoting visual self-governance. Focused on empowering emerging photographers from Zambia, Dr. Hacker’s research emphasizes “un-learning” — a process aimed at addressing colonial, social, and capitalistic influences on Zambia’s photographic history. Her work invites fresh, locally grounded visual perspectives to take shape.

Educated at FAMU, the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, she holds a BA (Bakalaureát, 1993) and an MA (Magistr, 1995) in photography. This academic foundation evolved into her doctoral work, a practice-based PhD titled Shooting in Zambia: (Re)negotiating Zambia’s Colonial Library Through Photographic Practice. Her research situates her as an authority on merging photographic practice with critical academic inquiry to transform traditional representations and foster new voices in African documentary photography.

Her career has been celebrated through numerous awards and fellowships, highlighting her contributions to photojournalism and research. In 1993, she was named Female Photojournalist of the Year in Germany, and in 1995, she received the Alexia Foundation Award in the United States. More recently, she has earned several fellowships emphasising her dedication to collaborative, decolonizing research. Between 2009 and 2012, she worked with the University of Zambia under a British Council Educational Partnership in Africa Grant. In 2021, she was awarded the Affect and Colonialism WebLab Fellowship from Freie Universität Berlin, collaborating with Zambian photographers to develop decolonized visual narratives. Most recently, she was awarded the Cambridge Visual Cultures Fellowship at Cambridge University, working alongside a Zambian curator on research exploring Zambia’s evolving photographic practices.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Hacker was a photojournalist for high-profile publications such as The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian. She collaborated with organizations including Sight-Savers International, Comic Relief, and Save the Children. Her work in these roles showcased her empathetic approach and ability to capture human-centred stories with clarity and respect.

Since 2008, Dr. Hacker has brought her practical experience and collaborative insights to the classroom, leading undergraduate and postgraduate photography courses at the Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University. Her teaching draws from her vast expertise in photojournalism and practice-based research, preparing the next generation of photographers to engage with critical ethical questions in documentary photography and embrace innovative practices in their work. Dr. Hacker’s ongoing contributions to artistic research, education, and global advocacy continue to influence and reshape the landscape of contemporary photojournalism and photography research.