The winner of this auction will sit for a portrait shot on medium format film by Stonington photographer Francis Hills. From that film, Francis will hand-craft a print using one of the oldest photographic processes in existence.The salted paper printing method was invented by Henry Fox Talbot in 1839, Francis will develop and print your portrait by hand in the darkroom at Historic Stonington.

The result is not a digital file. It is a one-of-a-kind salt print - warm and painterly, that belongs to another century. Just silver, salt, and time.

This same process is at the heart of Francis's forthcoming exhibition "Faces of the Fleet", opening at the La Grua Centre in July/August 2027. The series will portray the fishermen of Stonington's commercial fishing fleet - the last in Connecticut - with the same care and craft being offered here.

Hills' portfolio includes a diverse range of subjects for commercial and editorial clients. A relative newcomer to photography, Hills served as a digital evangelist for Hasselblad and traveled the world promoting professional digital photography before the iPhone was introduced. He's been on TV for shows like Sweden's Next Top Model and photographed unbelievably cool people - both well-known and not so well-known. He's worked across the world for lots of publications and had what you'd call a "varied" career - from bouncing around in helicopters with the French Foreign Legion in Africa to photographing 200 naked people for charity. He lives vicariously through performers. To see his notable Client List, visit https://www.francishillsphotography.com/