River City Tintype

Witness the magic of historical photography and make heirloom portraits in silver. Invented in 1851, wet-plate collodion tintype photography involves coating a metal plate with light-sensitive chemistry to make an image. Because this process does not involve film negatives, each plate captures a singular image that will last lifetimes, with a metallic surface and high level of detail that could never be duplicated with a digital process or filter. Located near downtown Louisville, my studio occupies the first floor of a house built in 1885, with a darkroom and portrait parlor modeled after those in the 19th century. In a studio portrait session, we’ll discuss the tintype process, look at historical and contemporary examples, and plan poses for portraits. You’ll see the process from start to finish, from coating a plate to developing in the darkroom. After your session, I will varnish your plates and mail them to you. You will also receive high-resolution images via email.