F.A.Q.

Note: A tintype can also referred to as a wet-plate collodion image or if made on glass, an ambrotype. The words “photo”, “tintype”, and “plate” all refer to the image in this context.

What is a tintype?

A tintype is an heirloom photograph, of a singular moment, exposed directly onto a piece of lacquered aluminum and preserved with varnish to pass down to generations of your family or friends.

What makes this image unique?

It is a one-of-a-kind photo of that moment. It is NOT a “print”. Think of it like an NFT, but in real life. If I want to keep an image for my gallery, I need to shoot two of the same model/pose/content in order to keep one and provide the one to the subject that they will take home. Given that models are not necessarily able to remain perfectly still, no two images will be exactly identical.

What is the photo made of?

The highlight of the image is made of silver, embedded into the collodion base by the UV light during photographic exposure. This is what makes the image last for 160+ years as silver and collodion are very stable materials. The shadows of the image are the black lacquer where the unexposed silver is removed in the fixing and finishing process.

Wait, did you say these last 160+ years?!?

I sure did! How do I know that? The original images from the first era of tintype began to be made around the year 1851. If you’ve seen old Victorian photos or Civil War photos, odds are pretty good that if they are made of metal or on glass, they were made with the exact same process I use today. Many of them still survive, making them 172 years old as I write this in 2023. What’s even better is that back then, they were shot mostly on steel based plates, and the silver used to make the image would corrode the steel. With these new images being made on aluminum, it’s likely that they’ll last even longer than that!

What’s included in the experience?

You’ll receive your actual physical plate (image) , varnished and finished, a small wooden stand for it to stand up until it’s framed, behind the scenes footage of you in front of the camera, a video showing when the image goes from negative to positive, and a high resolution scan to share on social media.

What should I wear?

I always tell my sitters to come wearing what they want their great-grandkids to see them wearing in 100 years, or (given that many original-era tintypes are purchased at garage sales), I’ll say to come as they would like a random stranger at a garage sale to find them in 150 years.

For the sake of the process, the best things to wear that show up really well are anything with glitz, glamour, shiny jewelry, texture…think lace, feathers, sweaters. If it has texture or sparkle, it’s perfect for a tintype.

Note: Any lettering or words featured on clothing will be backwards on the final plate. So unless intentional, I would recommend avoiding wearing branding or text.

What about makeup?

Makeup is a little unpredictable. If the makeup is bold and graphic in nature, this tends to be ideal for a tintype. Normal everyday makeup will barely show up in a tintype image. One way to showcase makeup is to use red for one’s lips, which will be black in the final plate. Another way to show makeup is GLITTER. The more the better. Or cheek highlight (that you can see from space). Think stage makeup. Exaggerated. Given the nature of makeup being a modern element with modern chemistry, it’s also possible to get unpredictable color results. An example would be that a sitter once wore neon pink lips, which instead of going darker, actually turned white in the final photo.

How are colors effected in the final image?

With some predictability, with the exception of modern makeup, the color translates in this way.

How do I take care of my final image once it’s finished?

Generally speaking, the final finished image should be treated somewhat like a cell phone screen or pair of eyeglasses.. Microfiber and water is best for making sure there are no fingerprints. While the varnish will be dry to the touch when I hand it to you, it will not be fully cured for up to 24 hours. I would not recommend laying the image face down on any surface until after that 24 hour period. If the plate is dropped, the materials are fairly resilient. Face down on a tile floor, no problem. Face down on gravel, maybe some scratches/etc.