Make it stand out.
Invented in the 1850s, tintype photography captures more than your likeness. It captures your entire life in one frame. It is a special event, not just a record of one. Tintype photos are created when metal plates are coated with chemicals, exposed to light in a camera, and processed with additional chemistry. This creates an underexposed negative image. When that negative is placed on a dark background, the transparent areas appear black, which makes the plate look like a positive image.
The Process
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Prepare the Plate
Collodion is the chemical solution used to coat the plate. To make the plate light-sensitive, you’ll dip it in a bath of silver nitrate and water.
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Expose the image
Most tintype photographers use a 4x5 camera. You need to capture the image before the solution dries.
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The Final image
Photo developer is the substance you pour over your tintype image to help process it. This solution is the last step of the development process. Historically, tintype photographers used potassium cyanide as a fixer,
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