Photographer Sam Murfitt has spent most of his life connected with the water—while making photographs, building boats, and working for fishing publications. For decades, he has photographed fishermen, their work, and their boats, and in that work, has come to see their way of life as finite and fleeting. His images document that lifestyle and offer a window into Maine’s working waterfronts and boatbuilding traditions. In this Member Monday, PMM Photo Archivist Kevin Johnson talks with Sam about his work and they explore a few images from the 2023 exhibit “Maine’s Working Waterfronts.”

Member Mondays are included as a member benefit and feature intimate monthly Zoom lunchtime programs presented by staff members. Topics vary every month – it’s a fun way to take a close look at items in our collections and get a peek behind the scenes at PMM. Not a member? Join here.

Photo: Jess’s fish market, cleaning halibut. Photograph by Sam Murfitt.