Robert Adamson (photographer)

Robert Adamson ( born April 26, 1821 in Burnside, Scotland, † January 14, 1848 in St Andrews ) was a Scottish chemist and photographer. With his partner David Octavius ​​Hill, he is among the pioneers of photography.

Life

Robert Adamson was the farmer's son Alexander Adamson from Burnside. He had the calotype met by his brother John and by the physicist David Brewster of the University of St Andrews. Encouraged by the brother and the fact that Fox Talbot had not made its patent rights for the calotype raised in Scotland, he opened in 1843 its own portrait studio in Edinburgh. In the same year the Scottish landscape and portrait painter David Octavius ​​Hill approached him and engaged him. Hill wanted to paint the founding meeting of the Scottish Free Church 457 Church representatives and can be created as a template for the monumental painting Calotypes. The individuals were taken outdoors in natural surroundings, and sometimes posed with various props ( draped tables, floral decorations and the like). Due to the slow process of a recording required approximately two minutes while keeping quiet in the sunlight.

This collaboration was a common photo studio. In the period between 1500 and 3000 originated abbildeten Calotypes, the portraits as well as cities and landscape views and scenes of everyday life until 1848. The recordings were mostly with the signature " recorded by R. Adamson under the artistic direction of D. O. Hill " provided.

After the early death of Adamson, who died at age 27 from a serious illness, is devoted Hill returned to painting.

Fishermen's wives in St Andrews

Fishermen's wives in Newhaven