In this contribution I will examine the production and circulation of photographic archives created by Albanian and European anthropologists in Albania during the communist era, focusing on the conditions under which ethnographic research was conducted by local and foreign women ethnologists in the second half of the 20th century. Additionally, I will delve into the intellectual and institutional exchanges between Albanian and European ethnologists during this period, situating their scientific contributions within a connected and transnational history that spans from Western Europe to South-Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. My research questions are aimed at understanding how these exchanges influenced the practice of ethnography and how the socio-political context of Communism shaped the production of ethnographic knowledge. By focusing on photographic archives, my research bridges anthropology, visual studies, and history, offering insights into how ethnographic knowledge was produced and circulated in a transnational context. I critically examine the gendered dimensions of ethnographic practice, highlighting the role of women ethnologists and the impact of their social conditioning on their work. By focusing on the personal and professional experiences of women ethnologists, I address the vulnerabilities inherent in their work and the broader socio-political challenges they faced. The use of photography as a central analytical tool expands traditional ethnographic methodologies, providing a multifaceted understanding of ethnographic practices and their socio-cultural implications. My study engages with the politics of knowledge production during Communism, exploring the dynamics of intellectual and institutional exchanges across contested geopolitical spaces. I intend this proposal as a contribution to the panel's objective of critically engaging with the production of social spaces and anthropological knowledge. By situating Albanian ethnography within a broader transnational and connected history, my work underscores the importance of examining the intersections of gender, politics, and methodology in the study of contested regions like the Mediterranean.