What is a Tintype?
The
Wet Plate Collodion Process
a tintype being fixed
A tintype is a direct positive image created using the historic wet plate collodion process, a photographic technique developed by Frederick Scott Archer in 1851. Unlike modern photography, each tintype is a truly one-of-a-kind photograph made directly onto metal or glass — not a print or reproduction.
Wet plate collodion photography is a handmade and time-sensitive process in which the plate must remain wet for the entire exposure and development process. Every tintype is created individually using hand-mixed chemistry, natural light, and historic large format cameras, making each portrait unique to the moment it was made.
The process begins by cutting and preparing a metal or glass plate. I then pour collodion onto the surface, which acts as the photographic emulsion, before sensitizing the plate in silver nitrate to make it light sensitive. Once prepared, the plate is loaded into the camera and ready for exposure.
Exposure times vary depending on the available light, weather conditions, and the age of the collodion. I often create test plates to determine the correct exposure before making the final portrait.
After the plate is exposed, it is immediately developed inside the darkroom. When the image first appears it looks like a negative, but during the fixing stage it transforms into a positive image. Although wet plate collodion is a precise chemical process, witnessing the image appear still feels a bit like magic every single time.
This process has my whole heart, and I’m honored to share it with the people who step in front of my camera.
