Many engaged couples have portraits done to celebrate this special time in their lives. Matt and Lauren recently got engaged and they wanted to have a portrait, too. They were looking for something different, so they booked a tintype engagement session. They were fascinated by the historic wet plate collodion process, the soft, antique-look of the images, and the idea of a one-of-a-kind portrait of themselves.
A tintype is also known as a ferrotype. It is a handmade portrait on a metal plate using the wet-plate collodion method. This method, invented in 1851, uses different chemicals to coat a sheet of aluminum (“plate”) to make it light-sensitive. The plate must then be exposed and developed immediately, in a process that requires many steps.
Aside from the studio lights and darkroom safety measures, I create these portraits the same way today using a Deardorff camera from the 1920s and a Dallmeyer 3A brass portrait lens, made in 1867. I enjoy sharing the process and its history with all my clients. I was happy to make a tintype portrait for Matt and Lauren!
“We both absolutely love [our tintype portrait], and we felt so welcomed and at ease with the experience. Thank you so much for creating this special memory for us and for involving us in the process.”
Matt & Lauren