Pixels? Presets? Never heard of ‘em. We make tintypes the same way they did over 170 years ago. Your picture on a tintype is made with light, chemistry, and finesse. Every portrait is raw, unedited, and one-of-a-kind. Sure, you could imitate a tintype with a filter, but you can't hold a digital picture in your hands, or pass it down to your kids and grand kids.
In the 21st Century, snapping a digital photo is as easy as tapping a button. But tintypes are made entirely by hand. They combine artistry, science, and skill to produce stunning images that can’t be faked.
Each tintype portrait is taken directly onto a plate of metal, so there’s only one original. And the intricacy of the chemical process means that every portrait will have its own nuances that will never be replicated.
That’s right, IMperfection. Digital photos may capture reality flawlessly, but tintypes depict a more impressionistic interpretation of our world. Each portrait bears distinctive artifacts that add character. It’s these analog quirks that digital filters attempt to mimic.
In the modern age, we’ve lost the magic of taking pictures. Snapping a photo has become as familiar as breathing. But tintypes let us experience the wonder that people felt 170 years ago when photography was a new, mystical artform.
For all the artsy-fartsy talk, tintypes are just plain cool, too. Not only do they have an incredibly unique look, but only a few people today get the chance to take them. And let’s be honest… part of the reason you want them is for your Instagram feed, right?
Lights, camera, backdrop, dark box... here's where all the fun happens, from start to finish.
Lights, camera, backdrop, dark box... here's where all the fun happens, from start to finish.
A collodion and silver solution creates a light-sensitive film on the surface of the plate.
Step in front of the “old time” camera! If you have a pose in mind, we’ll go with that. If not, I’ll direct you.
Step in front of the “old time” camera! If you have a pose in mind, we’ll go with that. If not, I’ll direct you.
I’ll count down from three and snap the photo. The picture will be instantaneous—no straining to hold still for several minutes like the old days!
Now I take the plate we just exposed into the dark box for immediate development. Here’s where you see your portrait appear from nothing!
Now I take the plate we just exposed into the dark box for immediate development. Here’s where you see your portrait appear from nothing!
Great question! Tintypes are one of the earliest kinds of photographs ever invented. They were developed (no pun intended) in the 1850s and quickly replaced their predecessor, the daguerreotype (which they’re often confused for). Tintype photos are taken on metal plates using multiple chemicals that all work together to produce the final sepia image. For several decades, tintypes were extremely popular, and it was common to find photographers traveling the country in horse-drawn darkrooms, taking people’s portraits. Tintypes were made obsolete by film (made popular by Eastman Kodak) in the early 1900s, and have only been shot by a handful of enthusiasts ever since then.
Due to camera and lighting limitations, we can fit no more than 2 people in each photo. Large group shots are not possible.
It's totally up to you! The "traditional" way is to have a straight face, but we want you to have the experience you'll love most.
It's totally up to you, but typically outfits that are timeless produce best results. I also encourage wearing clothes that have lots of texture and details (these show up great in tintypes).
If you want to go the extra mile for authenticity, clothing from the late 19th to early 20th centuries is perfect!
Items I suggest NOT wearing are anything with text or logos (which will come out backwards in the photo) and anything that is darkly colored (which will likely come out completely black in the photo).
Fortunately, no! I use studio flash units that make the photo instantaneous. These flashes also add the extra benefit of making your tintypes come out extra sharp and detailed.
Absolutely! In fact, I love it when people already have an idea in mind of how they want to pose for their tintype. Feel free to bring any reference materials for inspiration. And if you don't already have an idea, that's ok too! We'll work it out together.
Our tintypes are 4x5 inches.
Everybody asks me, "how did you get into shooting tintypes?" I always answer with a sheepish smile and say, "I saw a video on YouTube, thought it looked cool, and decided to give it a try."
Six years, thousands of hours of practice, and hundreds of portraits later, I still get just as excited for every single photo I take. And I love sharing the magic of tintypes with people.
They aren’t just "fancy old-time” photos… they take you on a journey back in time and give you a glimpse into the magic of photography in the 19th Century. And that’s what I want to share with you.