Halloween Tintypes

Blog / Portrait / Tintype

I am either really early for Halloween or really late! You decide, but I hope you enjoy these Halloween Tintypes even if they are out of season. This set of Halloween Tintypes, or Halloween cosplay tintypes, was made in October 2023 and I've freely confess that I have been too unproductive to post and share the story until now! We had planned a tintype photo session on the beach the week before Halloween. But life sometimes gets in the way and the client had a last minute happening and had to cancel. So we decided to enjoy the woods and…

Asylum Point Magic

Blog / Portrait / Wet Plate Collodion

She came from the west, bringing hot weather, humidity and maybe a bit of magic. We met at Asylum Point - once the site of the Northern Asylum for the Insane. A little north is the modern Winnebago Mental Health Institute. The asylum point lighthouse was built in 1937 and still provides a beacon for boaters on Lake Winnebago. The old and strange art of wet plate collodion (Tintype) photography is also shrouded in mystery. One day the spirits align and perfect images appear as if by magic. On other days, things conspires against you and every exposure becomes a…

Collodion Tintype Portrait in The Summer

Blog / Portrait / Wet Plate Collodion

Summer is for outdoor collodion tintype portraits! I am so blessed that I have friends who are willing to pose for practice sessions. A good friend braved the Summer heat to pose for an outdoor practice plate. This is an 8x10 inch tintype made with the collodion process. They say the practice makes perfect. But I don't think that is true. What I think is practice + reflection + adjustment puts you on the path to "good". You have to reflect on the result and think about what worked and what could be improved on. Then make a change and…

Collodion Portrait Session FAQ

Ambrotype / Blog / Portrait / Tintype / Wet Plate Collodion

So you booked your portrait session.. Awesome - I am so excited! So let's chat about important collodion portrait session FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Collodion sessions are a little bit different from digital photo sessions. The mood is slower paced and much more relaxed. We only produce a small number of images so it pays to plan things out in advance. Collodion is also a one-of-a-kind image process so there is always a bit of randomness to the final image. Of course, the surprise is just part of the fun. So here are some frequently asked questions.. How long does…

Cyanotype Portrait

Blog / Cyanotype / Portrait

Cyanotype prints can also make compelling portraits! Blue is not the first color one would choose for humans and human skin - except maybe at an awesome cosplay convention! But in the palette of monochrome colors the blue of cyanotype can be most interesting. Here is a portrait of one of my favorite people in the entire world. She is beautiful inside and out and has so many layers of thoughts! Here is a close up - those eyes and expression hold a world of mystery! In Your Eyes I see the doorway to a thousand churches! Want to see…

Ambrotype Self Portrait

Blog / Portrait / Wet Plate Collodion

Testing my lighting setup with a self portrait. This is an Ambrotype - a wet plate collodion on glass. All of my glass is recycled - I use the glass from old windows. If you are going to use an "antique" photography process why not use antique glass? Pretty happy with the lighting - uniform and a good exposure. I need to work on the eye focus as I missed a little bit. It is not easy setting up, pulling the lens cap off, moving into position and then hitting the flash. But I will do better next time. Here…