John W. Hiller Photography and Film Scholarship

John W. Hiller (1935-2020) was a long-time Del Ray Artisans member, cinematographer, producer, director, Oscar and Emmy winner. In 2021 the John W. Hiller Photography and Film Scholarship was created in his honor to be awarded to high school students for photography and film excellence. Scholarship recipients are selected by a committee appointed by The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria and based on the criteria set by Del Ray Artisans.

John called Alexandria home for 40 years. He was an active member of Del Ray Artisans and volunteered his expertise for years as the Historian and Director of Archives, and documented and photographed exhibitions for online platforms. John was born in Altadena, California in 1935 and passed away in 2020 at the age of 84.

He was modest and quiet about his career, but this local cinematographer and photographer was the recipient of an Oscar for the 1984 documentary short “The Stone Carvers” about the Gothic architectural adornments on the Washington National Cathedral. He also received 20 Emmys for various other projects. For 31 years he worked in the Smithsonian’s Motion Picture Unit as a producer, director, photography director, cinematographer, videographer, editor, and still photographer. John also previously worked in Hollywood, for the American Red Cross, USIA, and the U.S. Navy. His work resulted in over 131 films and videos used in exhibits and broadcast media; he received over 135 awards for those films. 

The John W. Hiller Photography and Film Scholarship is funded through donations earmarked for the scholarship and Del Ray Artisans. Donations collected via this fundraiser page are designated to the John W. Hiller Photography and Film Scholarship. Thank you for your support!

—Alyssa Pease