Hauntingly Beautiful
Vintage Portraits
At The Tintype Atelier we are passionate about using the early photographic process of wet plate collodion to create unique, handcrafted, vintage portraits that will last generations.
Unique, handcrafted,
one-of-a-kind portraits from a bygone era
The Process
Salt | Silver | Light | Magic
Invented in the early 1850’s, by Englishman Frederic Scott Archer, Wet Plate Collodion photography is a unique and mesmerising process that involves coating a piece of metal (a tintype), or glass (an ambrotype), with a collodion emulsion, sensitising it in silver nitrate and then creating and developing an image.
The real magic begins…
There’s nothing quite like the breathtaking moment when you witness yourself immortalised on tin or glass for the first time, your image appearing ghost-like before your eyes.
Unlike today’s never ending stream of digital photographs – stored on phones, memory cards and hard drives, once created, your one-of-a-kind image has the ability to not only survive your lifetime, but for generations into the future.
Portrait Session Bookings
To make a booking please get in touch using the ‘Enquire Now’ button below and let us know your preferred image size, and booking dates… we will then be in touch to finalise and confirm dates.
4×5″
Portrait Session
This studio portrait session includes 1 hour of studio time, two 4×5″ tintype (metal) portraits and supply of high resolution scans.
£100
Please read our FAQ’s prior to booking.
5×7″
Portrait Session
This studio portrait session includes 1 hour of studio time, two 5×7″ tintype (metal) portraits and supply of high resolution scans.
£140
Please read our FAQ’s prior to booking.
8×10″
Portrait Session
This studio portrait session includes 1 hour of studio time, two 8×10″ tintype (metal) portraits and supply of high resolution scans.
£180
Please read our FAQ’s prior to booking.
Events & Pop-ups
To make an enquiry regarding event or pop-up session rates please get in touch.
Gift Vouchers
Looking for a unique gift to last a lifetime (and beyond)… our Gift Vouchers are a great option for last minute gifts or special occasions. Available in three size/cost options, simply click below to purchase and we’ll be in touch with your digital voucher.
Please allow up to 24 hours for us to prepare your voucher and email it to you.
Your Photographer
After a lifelong interest in art and portraiture and a career as a tattoo artist, it wasn’t until I relocated from my hometown of Manchester, to Cornwall’s dramatic north coast, that I truly discovered my passion for photography. It was during the ensuing journey of learning that I first stumbled across the Wet Plate Collodion process. From the moment my eyes first witnessed the spectacle of chemicals being expertly poured and a face appearing magically on the plate.. I was hooked! I dove headfirst down the rabbit hole and learned as much as I could about the magical combination of salt, silver and light.
The Tintype Atelier was born from the desire to combine my new and old loves, photography and portraiture. I look forward to working with you to create a unique one-of-a-kind heirloom portrait, that you can treasure for years to come and to introducing you to this historic and captivating form of photography.
Your Photographer
The Tintype Atelier was born from the desire to combine my new and old loves, photography and portraiture. I look forward to working with you to create a unique one-of-a-kind heirloom portrait, that you can treasure for years to come and to introducing you to this historic and captivating form of photography.
FAQ’s
We have listed some of our most frequently asked questions here.
If you have questions that are not covered or would like further information please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Do I need a booking?
Bookings are essential. Please get in touch via phone or email to make your booking.
Is this a one-shot kind of deal?
Fortunately, no, however this is an inherently unpredictable and imperfect process – part of what makes it so special. Please be flexible about anomalies, softness, dust or particles on the surface of the tintype, etc. This process is not suited for those who want to appear airbrushed or perfect. The process sees more than we can see with our naked eye, this can be uncomfortable for some people.
We will always re-shoot a portrait if you blink or if there is an anomaly in the focal point of the image. If you are not happy with your portrait for aesthetic reasons, we will re-shoot it once at no charge. If further re-shoots are required we will charge £25 per image to cover the cost of additional chemicals.
Do I have to sit still?
You will need to stay relatively still while we compose the image and focus. When it comes to taking the actual image we use high powered strobes which capture you in an instant… so no need to stay still for minutes on end.
There are marks on my photograph, is this normal?
Yes.
This is a handmade vintage portrait image, and will contain a myriad of mechanical and chemical remnants.
How does this process differ to conventional black and white photography?
Wet Plate Collodion photographs have a very different look when compared to traditional black and white photographs. Because collodion is sensitive to UV light, it sees colours in a unique way.. violets and blues are seen as white, while reds and yellows are seen as black. The clarity and beauty of a tintype or ambrotype image is unparalleled!
What should I wear?
Whatever you feel most comfortable in.
Dress up or down.. patterns and textures can look great. Feel free to bring small props, hats etc. The finished image can be very high contrast – so we recommend avoiding solid white or black. Be aware that any writing on your clothes will appear reversed in the finished image.
Can I wear glasses?
Glasses with a UV coating will cause the lenses to darken – sometimes this is barely noticeable, but occasionally it will give a smoky look to the glass. If unsure, bring the glasses with you – or an old pair of frames without lenses!
Can you photograph children or pets?
You are welcome to book portraits for your children but be aware that any movement makes the final image blurry so this is not a great option for wiggly children, but it isn’t impossible! Please note – we use high powered strobes to make our portraits – the big flash can be overwhelming for some young children.
Currently we are unable to take portraits of your pets.
Can I take my portrait home with me?
It takes roughly an hour after shooting your portrait for it to be ready to take home (we wash and dry the plate and then varnish to protect the surface). Because we often shoot back to back sessions we ask you to allow up to a week to pick up (or be mailed) your completed plate. We try to be as flexible as possible so if you need your plate on the same day please let us know when you book your session.
At events, popups and festivals we have extra hands on board to help with the process and we endeavour to have your plates ready to be picked up an hour after your session ends.
Do I receive a digital copy?
Absolutely. The cost of your session includes a high resolution digital scan. We aim to get this to you within 48 hours of your completed session to the email address supplied on booking.
Do you shoot events, or commercial work?
Absolutely! Contact us via email with the details of your project and dates involved, and we can put a quote together for you.
Keep in touch
Keep up to date with special offers on vintage portrait sessions and all the latest news about events and pop-ups.
We take your privacy seriously and will never share your details.
