Heirloom Quality Portraiture

A tintype is the product of a photographic process invented in 1851 called wet plate collodion. In short, an aluminum plate is cut to the desired size and coated in chemicals that are sensitized in a silver nitrate solution. After the plate is exposed and developed, the image - made of pure silver - is left on the surface of the plate shining brightly. Once carefully varnished, these images are expected to last centuries. This age old process combined with modern lighting and technique can yield a very unique look. If you would like to learn more about this process and try it yourself then consider signing up for a private workshop in the studio.

The making of an image only takes about 10 minutes after everything is set up and ready. The exposure time is only a fraction of a second so there is very little chance of motion blur. Because of the nature of large format cameras, there is a period of about 10 second that the subject must be still between focusing and inserting the plate and taking the picture. Moving during this time will result in being out of focus. I like to take time to get to know my clients and their intention before taking any photos. I try to make each portrait personalized and uniquely yours. So no one feels rushed, please plan on spending one to three hours in the studio depending on how many photos you want to make.

After your session is finished, it usually takes 48 hours to process all the images. Once the tintypes are ready, you will be alerted and your tintype will be available for pickup in the drop box at the studio. You will also receive the scans at this time. On rare occasions processing can take much longer than 48 hours due to travel plans or unavailability. If you have a strict deadline, please let me know while you schedule the appointment.

Many people like to take the opportunity of a private portrait session to dress up and have some fun with it. I welcome creative visions and less-than-typical self portrayals in the studio. I always encourage people to wear what feels comfortable to them. On a technical note, warmer colors like red and orange do come out very dark or even black, and blue tones are much brighter. I find that texture and patterns tend to render very nicely (lace, fur, stripes, etc.) I normally recommend AGAINST wearing all black as plain black fabric often doesn’t show and you will end up looking like a floating head. There are very special exceptions to this, but if you decide to wear black consider bringing a change of clothes as a plan b. If you have specific questions or concerns feel free to reach out and ask.

In short, Yes (I want to photograph your cat). However, I am able to photograph pets successfully on a very circumstantial basis. Most dogs will not sit still long enough for the time it takes to make a large format photo. For that reason is it very hard to get them in focus. Dogs that are small enough to be held in your arms are better candidates, since they can’t easily move too much. The lights that are necessary for the process can also make dogs scared and nervous. That said, If you think you and your pet are up to the challenge we can give it our best, but I cannot guarantee the results. In most cases, the best way to go with pets is to get a smaller 2.5x3 inch tintype that is shot with a medium format camera.