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Hill & Adamson facts for kids
Composite photograph of Hill (left) and Adamson, both c. 1845
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| Formation | 1843 |
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| Dissolved | 1848 |
| Purpose | Photography studio, producing salt prints from calotype negatives |
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Key people
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| Affiliations | David Brewster |
Hill & Adamson was Scotland's very first photography studio. It was started in 1843 by a painter named David Octavius Hill and an engineer called Robert Adamson. Their partnership was short, ending when Adamson sadly passed away. But in that short time, they created some of the first truly artistic photographs.
One artist, John Harden, saw their early photos in 1843. He said they looked like paintings by the famous artist Rembrandt, but even better! He believed their work would greatly improve how portraits were painted.
Contents
Capturing History: The Free Church Assembly
In 1843, a big event happened in Scotland. Over 450 ministers left the Church of Scotland assembly to start a new church, called the Free Church of Scotland. David Octavius Hill was there and wanted to capture this important moment.
His friend, Lord Cockburn, and a scientist, Sir David Brewster, encouraged him. Sir David Brewster suggested using the new invention of photography. This technology was very new, only invented in 1839! Brewster introduced Hill to Robert Adamson, who also loved photography.
Hill & Adamson took many photos of the ministers and the setting. These pictures helped Hill create a huge painting, which he finally finished in 1866. It was 5 feet tall and over 11 feet wide!
The First Photography Studio
Their teamwork was very successful. Adamson was skilled at setting up the camera and lighting. Hill was great at handling the camera and had a good eye for art. Soon, they started photographing many different things.
Adamson's studio, called "Rock House," was on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. This became the center of their photography experiments. They used a process called calotype to create their photos.
Famous Faces and Everyday Life
They took many portraits of important Scottish people of their time. These included writer Hugh Miller. They photographed people both in the studio and outdoors. Sometimes, they even took pictures among the old tombs in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
They also photographed landscapes in Fife and city scenes. They captured images of the Scott Monument being built in Edinburgh. Besides famous people, they photographed ordinary working folk. They especially loved taking pictures of the fishermen from Newhaven. They also photographed the fishwives who carried fish in large baskets called creels. These women walked 3 miles uphill to Edinburgh to sell their fish, shouting "Caller herrin" (fresh herring).
They even took some of the first "action" photos of soldiers. One of their most famous pictures shows two priests walking side by side.
A Short but Important Partnership
Hill and Adamson created about 3,000 different photographs together. Sadly, their partnership lasted only four years. Adamson became ill and passed away in 1848. After this, Hill became less active in photography. He stopped using the studio after a few months. However, he continued to sell prints of their photos. He also used them to help him create his paintings.
They had an assistant named Jessie Mann. She worked with them for at least three years until Adamson's death. Jessie Mann is believed to be the first Scottish woman photographer. She was also one of the first women anywhere to work in photography. It is thought that Jessie Mann took a photo of the King of Saxony in 1844. This happened at the studio when Hill and Adamson were not there. A print of this photo is now in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
How Their Work is Seen Today
For a while, some art historians gave all the credit for the photos to Hill alone. They might have added a small mention of Adamson. But today, experts understand that both men were equally important. Adamson's earlier solo work was good, but it didn't have the same artistic spark as his work with Hill. Also, Hill's photos after Adamson's death were not as good. This shows how important each person was to their amazing photographic work.
Images for kids
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Edinburgh Ale, c1844
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Newhaven fisherman, 1845
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Newhaven Boy, c1845
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St Andrews, North Street, Fishergate, c1845
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Dumbarton Presbytery, 1845, showing four ministers of the Free Church of Scotland, Princeton University Art Museum
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Trinity College Chapel and Hospital, with Calton Hill in the background, 1840s
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The Scott Monument (May 2, 1845)
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Lord Cockburn (1779-1854) Solicitor General for Scotland and Lord Rector of Glasgow University. He was involved with Hill in establishing the Royal Scottish Academy. He is pictured here at Bonaly Tower in Colinton.