Handcrafted with silver and light.
Every tintype is made individually by hand using the historic wet plate collodion process. I work primarily outdoors with natural light, allowing the surrounding landscape to become a subtle part of your portrait.
Because the image is created directly on the metal plate, no two tintypes can ever be exactly alike. The delicate marks, tonal shifts, and hand-poured edges belong only to your photograph.
How Does Tintype Photography work?
Tintype photography is a hands-on, 19th-century process where your photograph is created directly onto a sheet of metal right before your eyes. During your session, a metal plate is coated with a liquid collodion mixture and dipped into a bath of Silver Nitrate
to make it sensitive to light. While the plate is still wet, you’ll step in front of the lens, hold still for a few brief seconds during the exposure, then I will quickly head right into the darkroom to develop the plate, then together, we will fix the image as you watch it magically develop from a negative into a glowing silver portrait.
What makes tintypes so special is that every single plate is a completely unique, one-of-a-kind original, there is no negative, so the metal in your hands is the actual piece exposed inside the camera! Because the silver emulsion reacts strongly to ultraviolet light, it sees color differently than modern cameras, making blue eyes pop brightly, and freckles and tattoos will be more visible.
After exposure, the plate is dried, varnished with natural tree gum and lavender oil, and sealed to last for generations.
Natural Light, On Location Tintype Sessions
Choose your Tintype.. 5 x 7
The 5 × 7 tintype is perfect for solo shots or close-up portraits of two. Its cozy scale encourages genuine expressions and personal details.
Lit with soft, natural light against a simple outdoor setting, the silver image gets a beautiful depth without distracting from you. The finished plate feels substantial in hand and looks great on a shelf, easel, or gallery wall.
Includes: Your original, one-of-a-kind 5 × 7 tintype + a high-res digital scan.
Services
- One original archival physical tintype
- One high resolution digital scan
- Private online gallery to order reprints
- Hand varnished for archival protection
- Originals available within 72 hours
- Pickup at the event location or delivery for a small postage fee.
Starting from $100.00
Natural Light, On Location Tintype Sessions
Choose your Tintype.. 8x10
The 8 × 10 gives your portrait a bigger visual presence. The extra space allows for richer backgrounds and easy, natural poses for individuals, couples, or small families.
It shines in meaningful outdoor spots where landscape, light, and subject blend into a single story. The larger size highlights the subtle textures and glowing silver tones of the wet plate process, making it feel more like original artwork than a standard photo.
Includes: Your original, one-of-a-kind 8 × 10 tintype + a high-res digital scan.
Starting from $150.00
Services
- One original archival physical tintype
- One high resolution digital scan
- Private online gallery to order reprints
- Hand varnished for archival protection
- Originals available within 72 hours
- Pickup at the event location or delivery for a small postage fee.
What should I wear for a portrait session?
Rich textures, lace, knits, denim, and bold patterns translate beautifully. Keep in mind that collodion sees color differently: red and warm tones register as dark or black, while blues appear very light or almost white. Avoid clothes with visible logos or text, as wet plate images are naturally mirrored left-to-right.
Can I get duplicate copies of my tintype?
Every tintype is a one-of-a-kind original with no negative. The physical plate created in the camera is the only direct copy that exists. However, high-resolution digital scans are created once the plate is cured, allowing you to share the image online or print duplicates for family. You may also purchase high quality art prints of your image from our partner print shop, you will receive a link to order with your digital copy.
How long will a tintype portrait last?
When properly washed, dried, and coated with traditional lavender-varnish, a tintype is archival. Unlike modern paper prints that fade over time, a metal tintype will easily last for well over a century.
Can I take my tintype home immediately?
Unfortunately, tintypes are very delicate when created and subject to damage and scratching unless they are properly varnished. The very silver that your image is created with will, as silver does, tarnish if exposed to oxygen so it must be coated with varnish to seal and protect it. The varnish I use is made by hand with traditional ingredients and takes at least 24 hours to cure.