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View Full Version : "Faking" the tintype look?



athanasius80
18-Nov-2007, 23:11
A friend of mine wants me to shoot his portrait as a Christmas present for his wife. He is involved in single-speed bicycling and has a formidable vintage clothing collection as well. He told me wanted an 8x10 portrait with his bike and looking "like a tintype" in his own words.

I am thinking I could use my 8x10 (uncoated lens of course) with homemade dry plates, contact print on FB paper, and sepia tone. Option B would be to use my 4x5 box camera with either type 55 or APHS film, enlarge to 8x10 and follow as above.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

Greg Lockrey
18-Nov-2007, 23:44
Remember to make the "Tintype" image backwards.

Toyon
19-Nov-2007, 07:03
You might try Fotospeed's "Antique Dye Toner". This gives a yellowy tone that looks like a cross between albumen and tintype coloration. You control the intensity through the length of washing. I think you'll get better control than through ordinary sepia. The other suggestion is using a Thiurea sepia toner, such as Fotospeed's odorless sepia. They include a "part C" that varies the tone and intensity of the effect.

Greg Lockrey
19-Nov-2007, 07:25
Here is a link to some supplies to make modern day tintypes. http://www.rockaloid.com/products.html#tintype

Ken Lee
19-Nov-2007, 11:45
One artifact of those images is shallow depth of field. Another is a rather unique tonality

This image (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.blogtheberkshires.com/theater/TinTypes-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.blogtheberkshires.com/theater/2007/03/&h=441&w=300&sz=47&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=-0fC1HlXdd00GM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=86&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtintypes%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGGL,GGGL:2006-18,GGGL:en), even though it's brown, looks modern.

Andy Eads
19-Nov-2007, 12:11
You may want to shoot through a strong blue filter to simulate the spectral sensitivity of the early emulsions. I find that makes a huge difference in appearance. Any blue filter from the color separation sets would do.

Ken Lee
19-Nov-2007, 14:37
I know your question was directed towards darkroom methods, but in this case, a little Photoshop goes a long way.

Bruce Schultz
25-Nov-2007, 08:44
Ditto what Dakotah said. There's enough fakers out there. A yellowed picture from film or digital is just that and nothing more.

Check out my new website www.tintypesforever.com (http://www.tintypesforever.com) to get an idea of what real wet-plate photography looks like, then go to my contacts/link page and see what other wet platers are doing.

Stan. L-B
25-Nov-2007, 09:05
Point well made Bruce. Great offer - if only.......