Spotlight: Tintype Photography

Spotlight: Tintype Photography

Tintype photographs were an extremely popular form of early photography. A tintype photograph is made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of iron, which is then coated with a dark lacquer or enamel and used as the tool for the photographic emulsion. It was used frequently in the 1860’s and 1870’s, first in photography studios, and then – because of its convenience and relatively fast developing exposure – by street vendors and sidewalk photographers. Tintype photographs could be produced dry, and the iron sheet served as the support, so photographs could be developed and handed to the customer in minutes.

tintype_ambrotype_lumiere_assignment_4Photo Credit | Lumiere Tintype, Austin TX

We absolutely love the work at Lumiere Tintype in Austin, TX; and they have a wonderful explanation of the photographic process for tintype:

“A metal plate is coated with collodion; a solution of guncotton, ether and alcohol. This forms a ‘skin’ over the plate, which is then sensitized to light by immersing it in a solution of silver nitrate.
After coating and sensitizing, the plate is loaded into the camera, and the exposure is made. We light the subject with short exposures of high intensity strobes, or longer exposures of daylight or CFL bulbs. Each image is completely unique, we are capturing the light and shadows as they hit the plate. There can be no adjustments, cropping, or enlargements once the plate is exposed.
The next step is to develop the plate in the darkroom. A ferrous sulphate solution is poured gently over the plate until the image appears. The plate is then fixed with a standard photographic fixative, which washes away the remaining silver particles and reveals our finished photograph.
After drying, the plate is heated over an alcohol lamp and coated with a warm varnish of gum sandarac, alcohol and lavender oil. This final step gives the plate an archival quality finish and a wonderful aroma of lavender.
With appropriate care, a tintype will serve as a true heirloom, and should outlive our descendants.”

Be sure to head over to Lumiere and check out their work! You can also follow along on Instagram or Facebook!

tintype_ambrotype_lumiere_assignment_5Photo Credit | Lumiere Tintype, Austin TX

There are several other photography studios practicing the art of tintype photography: Keliy Anderson-Staley in Chicago, Tin Machina in Los Angeles, and Riley MacLean Photography in North Carolina.

keliy1Photo Credit | Keliy Anderson-Staley

tinmachina2
tinmachina1Photo Credit | Tin Machina

maclean1Photo Credit | Riley MacLean Photography

If you’re interested in digitally trying your hand at some tintype effects, there are several apps to help you out! Try apps Koloid and Hipstamatic to get these effects! Here at NAPCP, we are committed to bringing interesting, educational content to our readers and members, so if you do try some Tintype Photography of your own, be sure to tag us on Instagram or link us to your content in the comments! We’d love to see what you do!

Erin McManness
erin@napcp.com
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