Newhaven Fishwives 1843 - 1847

"Newhaven Fishwives" is a calotype photograph taken by the Scottish photographic partnership Hill & Adamson in 1843-47. This photograph, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showcases the partnership's meticulous attention to detail and their commitment to capturing the lives of ordinary people. The image depicts three women, likely fishwives from Newhaven, Scotland, engaged in their daily activities. The women's clothing, including striped skirts and headscarves, reveals their working-class background. Hill & Adamson's innovative use of the calotype process resulted in a photograph with a high level of detail and tonal range, capturing the subtle play of light and shadow on the subjects and their surroundings. This image exemplifies the power of photography to document and preserve the realities of everyday life.