In their project, The Fishermen and Women of the Firth of Forth, Scottish artists David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson document the daily lives and activities of the fisherfolk along the Firth of Forth between 1843 and 1847. Originating shortly after the invention of photography, this collaboration marks one of the earliest uses of the calotype process, exploring its potential as both an artistic medium and a tool for social documentation.
The project emerged against the backdrop of Britain's rapid industrialization, during which traditional communities faced considerable social and economic pressures. One of these communities, Newhaven, was known for its self-sufficient and thriving fishing culture and offered a compelling counterpoint to urban hardships associated with industrial growth.
Scenes of fishing life, including boats, harbors, and the villages of Newhaven, Prestonpans, Leith, and St Andrews, form the visual core of the series. Aesthetically, the photographs feature deliberately composed arrangements, often mirroring contemporary painting techniques while maintaining a sense of naturalism. The monochrome calotype prints, with their characteristic soft textures and warm brownish hues, contribute to an intimate visual style.
The technical methods employed are innovative for their time. Using large-format cameras with paper negatives, the artists demonstrate considerable skill in handling lengthy exposure times and complex chemical processes. Their deliberate use of props, careful posing of subjects, and creative manipulation of natural lighting reveal an experimental and methodical approach to photography.
First shown publicly at the Royal Scottish Academy (Edinburgh, 1845) and later championed by Pictorialists—reproduced in Camera Work—the Newhaven pictures were consolidated in the National Galleries of Scotland’s exhibition Hill & Adamson: The Fishermen and Women of the Firth of Forth (Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1991–92) and its accompanying catalogue. These presentations, alongside subsequent inclusion in major surveys of early photography, secured the series’ canonical status.
