James Linton

The fisherman James Linton leans against a boat in a casual position. Unable to show him at sea, David Hill and Robert Adamson skillfully surrounded Linton with the attributes of his job, in much the same way they employed books in their portraits of ministers. Hill and Adamson made a series of acclaimed portraits featuring the men, women, and children of the small fishing village of Newhaven, one mile north of Edinburgh. Arguably the first examples of social documentary photographs ever made, these approximately 130 images dealt with everyday life. The natural appearance of the people suggests that Hill and Adamson earned the trust and cooperation of the fisherfolk.