Camera Work: A Photographic Quarterly (1909 (Heft 28))

length statue by her in the Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh; and one or
two of the statues on the Scott’s Monument are by her. Later she modeled
the sitting statue of Robert Burns in Dumfries, erected on the centenary of his
birth. After her marriage—she was D. O. Hill’s second wife—she did much
of her work in the studio on Carlton Hill during the time of the painting
of her husband’s historic picture.
Friends and people of note passing through Edinburgh found their way
to the studio, and even posed before or within the porch of the little old house
on the small grassy slope in front. There, in the open air, in the downpour of
light, he arranged them singly or in groups, in reposeful attitudes with the eyes
usually cast down, for the length of time needed for exposure in those days was
rather long—about four minutes. I am told that the first Talbotype taken in
England required a twenty minutes’ exposure! From the side windows of
the studio many views were taken of Edinburgh and the dominating Castle
Rock, and the long line of Princes Street; and later D. O. Hill made an interest-
ing series of prints of Sir Walter Scott’s Monument during its construction.
The fishermen and yachtsmen of the Port of Leith were favorite subjects for
his camera; and also the picturesque New Haven fish wives in their distinctive
dress, with the creels on their backs in which they carry to the city the fish
caught by their husbands and sons.
In every Calotype taken by D. O. Hill the first consideration was the artis-
tic presentment; the conventions of photographic portraiture were non-existent;
and the posing of his sitter, and choice of severe, simple environment and acces-
sories, were influenced by the austere, fine portrait painting by such men as Rey-
nolds, Geddes, Raeburn, and their contemporaries. His sitters for the most
part wore their usual every-day garments, a fact which contributes to the sug-
gestion of the individuality of the particular man or woman. Later series,
however, show a tendency towards a more composed effect, as in the case of
“Mrs. Rigby” and “The Minnow Pool.” In every instance these portraits
are remarkable for the masterly handling of chiaroscuro; of strong high lights,
of massive shadow, of reflected lights in shadow in which the modeling is as
discernable as in the higher lights, and for the great simplicity of composition.
I have been told that when the artist wished to produce a particular blurred
effect, he would during the exposure give his camera an almost imperceptible
jerk.
Among these hundreds of photographs are one or two portraits of the
artist himself, taken—presumably by his assistant, Robert Adamson—either
singly, or with one or two other figures in the old Greyfriars Churchyard, where
so many of the old covenanters were buried; an old historical monument that
was partially destroyed by fire in D. O. Hill’s lifetime.
Mrs. William Sharp.

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