Ingrid Grootes studied Art History and obtained a postdoctoral teaching degree at Leiden University.

Grootes is specialised in photography and fine art in general and is predominantly interested in the processes surrounding the interpretation of a photograph/image, as well as in the relation of photography to other disciplines, including text/language and literature.

Grootes mainly teaches theory and supervises the thesis/research paper at the Photography Department at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague.

Additionally, she is involved in various educational projects and pilots at the art academy. She joined a research group of the lectorate, is part of the library committee and the academy-wide Theory Platform, and is involved in the admission of new students.

She is a member of the Board of Appeal for Examination of the University of the Arts.