Tintypes and Old Time Photography

Many years ago the family and I went to a photo studio in a mall that had period clothes to put on, and they gave you an old looking photo. It was actually a tinted Polaroid, to give it an antique look.

After getting renewed interest in historical photo processes, I decided to take a workshop on making tintypes, and picked John Coffer to show me the way. Much has been written about John living in a small cabin, with no running water or electricity, but he is extremely skilled in making the old-time photos.

Some other workshops were limited, but with John we made a lot of tintypes on the real japanned steel, glass ambrotypes, glass negatives, and even albumen prints. I totally recommend attending one of John's workshops if you want to learn the collodion process.

Since the workshop, I have attended several Jamborees at John's Farm. Former students can get together, shoot plates, trade stories and have some beer and wine. Its a great get-together.