Wet Plate Collodion Photography
Wet plate collodion, known alternatively as tintype, glass plate, ambrotype, is one of the earliest photo processes to gain wide popularity. It dates back to the mid-19th century but is still practiced today by a few adventurous photographers. It is an involved process just to get the proper set-up, and some of the components can be difficult to source. Basically, one is taking 150 years of photographic technology and throwing it out the window.
What keeps people coming back are the images, they have a magical quality about them. Tintypes, so called because they are shot on metal plates have historically been the most common choice but they are not reproduceable. nowadays we can scan them into a computer and make a print but that is only possible with modern equipment. So each plate is a one-off original. The glass plate yields a negative image which must be presented against a black background. But since you have a negative it is possible to make prints. It was a revolution in the day and the process is recognized as a milestone in the development of photography as we know it today.
I began shooting tintypes about six years ago and am now equipped to make plates pretty much anywhere. I have a portable darkroom and several cameras to choose from.
If you would like to own a one-of-a-kind family or personal portrait or a unique landscape or product shot, just drop me a line. I would love to chat with you about your options.
I also do workshops!
