Tintype or ferrotype photography (& cowboys)

[emr]

Are people here familiar with modern day tintype photography? I once read an article about the technique and Robb Kendrick, who's taken a lot of photographs with it of cowboys of today. Very interesting stuff. This technique really seems to demand time, enthusiasm and dedication beyond what film shooting does. The NY Times links below probably demand logging in.

Tintype - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/ar...in&oref=slogin

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/ar....12178689.html

Cowboys and Tintype - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

Modern-Day Cowboys Frozen in Time : NPR

Photographer Robb Kendrick's Biography, Photos, Pictures, Wallpapers - National Geographic

[FHPhotographer]

I don't have any cowboy shots, but here's one of my wife run through Silver Efex using the "Tintype" filter with increased grain. Don't think I like that much color casting, but it's a quick way to approximate the process,
Brian

[RROARKE]

As a Civil War Reenactor, I am a little familiar with the process(through sittings and watching other photographers).I met a man from the Rochester NY area, it had become a hobby for him and wanted to pursue a more active approach. I was on a few event commitees and invited him out to a few events, before long he was making the jump. giving up his full time job and pursueing "wet plate" as a career. he moved to Gettysburg PA and has become hugely succesful. Here's a link to Rob Gibson
Electronic Press Kit for Rob Gibson

[séamuis]

Originally Posted by RROARKE

As a Civil War Reenactor, I am a little familiar with the process(through sittings and watching other photographers).I met a man from the Rochester NY area, it had become a hobby for him and wanted to pursue a more active approach. I was on a few event commitees and invited him out to a few events, before long he was making the jump. giving up his full time job and pursueing "wet plate" as a career. he moved to Gettysburg PA and has become hugely succesful. Here's a link to Rob Gibson
Electronic Press Kit for Rob Gibson

WOW. now that is incredible. I would love to sit in for a day and watch him do this. really incredible.

[RROARKE]

It was quite fascinating to watch the process, I have few tin types of myself and of my wife as well.
there are a few reenactors that do this type photography,they can be found at bigger events, but there are many more that use more modern equipment and a sepiatone print... I prefer the wet plates myself.
Rob

[RioRico]

I'll throw in this bit -- see my older posts on ACTINIC light for more. Here's the basics:

Photographic emulsions, whether on film or glass or metal, are normally NOT sensitive to the entire visible spectrum. They are sensitive to UV, violet, and some blue light, which together are called ACTINIC. Emulsions only gain sensitivity to the green, yellow, red and IR bands by adding various dye and filter chemicals. Such additives were created from about 1885 onward -- any photography before then depended only on ACTINIC light.

The differences can be startling. ACTINIC sensitivity turns greens, yellows, reds, into black. You can see that in older Xerography with yellow highlighters obscuring text. Vegetation, skin tones, bright colors, all render in weird ways to modern eyes. Tintypes and other metallotypes using old emulsions produce images with such renderings.

We can grab the ACTINIC spectra by using old emulsions, or certain copy films, or by adding blue-violet filters to panchromatic-sensitive films and cameras. You don't get an authentic old-timey look by just using a sepia filter. On a digital or film cam, put a blue or blue-violet filter in front of the lens, and shoot monochrome. You'll see differences in tonality and depth of field, and you'll have difficulty focusing.

If you like the look, then try wet-plating, if you have patience. If you're patient enough to walk a cat on a leash, and crazy enough to snort glue, then wet-plate photography might be for you.