Having logged many years behind the lens as a commercial and editorial shooter, David Hills is equally at home on the deck of a Bristol Bay salmon boat and the floor of the NYSE — and almost everywhere in between.
Since his first foray to the sockeye salmon grounds of Alaska’s Cook Inlet 20 years ago, he’s made his artistic home wherever the marine environment intersects with the people who make their living on it. With a special focus on the waters worked by Cape Cod fishermen, David harvests a different catch, bringing viewers a perspective they rarely see.
David’s process of documenting commercial fishing involves joining crews aboard vessels as small as 12 feet, (a crab fisherman in La Paz, MX) to 90 feet. A trip might be hours long on small inshore boats to 2 weeks on longliners. Much of the work done aboard is repetitive, allowing him the opportunity to study his subject, plan compositions and anticipate decisive moments.
David is captivated by the scenes in between; massive wavescapes sculpted by gale force winds, geometric studies of form and light, ethereal colors and mystifying fogs. It is primarily these images that you see here in the gallery. Welcome aboard, we hope you enjoy them.
About the Gallery
Founded by David and his wife Kristen Henley-Hills, David Hills Gallery is a place where photography, storytelling, and coastal culture converge. In the heart of Orleans, the gallery presents David's growing collection of fine art photography while also serving as a gathering place for conversations about the coast, maritime traditions, conservation, and the communities shaped by life on the water.
