Tintype Portrait Sessions

Black and white photo of a woman with short hair, wearing earrings and a septum piercing, holding a sleeping baby close to her chest.

  • Traditional Outdoor 1850’s Studio

  • Multi-Light Modern Portraits

  • Natural Light Outdoor Portraits

  • Singles, Couples, Families, Groups

  • Personalized Fine Art

  • Headshots

  • Bridal Portraits

  • Maternity

  • Boudoir, etc...

Schedule Portrait Session
A black and white portrait of a young woman with long wavy hair, wearing a lace top and a necklace, with tattoos on her arm.
Black and white artistic photo blending a silhouette of a person's profile with flowers and abstract patterns.
A vintage black and white photograph of a young woman with curly hair wearing a white dress and a large necklace, standing close to a man with a beard, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a striped jacket with a patch on the shoulder.
Black and white photo of a woman with dark hair holding her face with her hands, staring directly at the camera.
A black-and-white photograph of a man with dark hair, mustache, and light skin, and a woman with long curly hair, earrings, and a necklace. Both are dressed in vintage clothing, with the woman in an off-shoulder top, striking a confident pose, with t
A black and white photograph of a man, a woman, and a Dalmatian dog standing outdoors in a natural setting with trees and dry grass
A woman with long hair, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, is holding a parasol in an outdoor natural setting with tall grass surrounding her.
Black and white photo of a bearded man with long hair embracing a woman with long hair, both topless, in an intimate pose.
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  • Display your tintype under a bright, specular light source for best viewing results.  I recommend propping them up under a lamp.

  • Let people pick up and hold your tintype. Tintypes are robust.  Baring any physical damage they will last hundreds of years.  ​

  • When fingerprints show, wash with cool water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.  Don't use windex or other chemical cleaners. 

  • Tintypes are varnished with a natural substance called Lavender Sandarac.  Is it amazing stuff, but not as hardcore as a polyurethane.  

  • If you choose to frame your tintype, make certain there is an air gap between the glass and the plate.  If the plate touches the glass, given changes in humidity and temperature, over time the varnish will adhere to the glass. 

  • I recommend shadowboxes or frames without glass. Mount it 1/4 inch away from the back of the shadowbox for a cool 3D effect.

  • Tintypes are glossy, so is glass, so you will get a double the glare with glass.

  • Got any other questions or concerns, holler at me!

CARING FOR YOUR TINTYPE

  • 6903 Valmont Road Boulder Colorado 80301

    Look for the gate immediately at the east end of the long green fence

  • Expect to be at the studio for 3+ hours. Afterwards the plates will still need to be washed, dried, varnished and baked. That takes another day or so. You are welcome to pick the plates up yourself, or have them shipped to you for $25. If you buy digital scans, those will be delivered to you via email in the following weeks.

  • For studio shots you will have to sit perfectly still for about 1 second. Natural light portraits are longer, requiring you to be perfectly still for up to 3+ seconds at a time…and that’s if the sun is shining, longer if it isn’t.  Kids and dogs have a hard time doing this, but who cares? They will still look awesome.

  • Modern Lit Portraits can accommodate up to two people and a baby… perfect for couples and brand new families. For larger or more established families I recommend a series of individual studio portraits and a naturally lit environmental portrait.

  • Come with ideas.  Wear something intriguing, or nothing at all.  Dress up.  Be formal.  Put on a hat.  Bring a prop. Go vintage. Go nude. Be you at your most wonderfully unique!! Everyone is welcome, and so are your ideas.  I encourage you to contact me ahead of time with your questions so that we can flesh them out for ultimate success.

  • Don't like the look on your face? The first reshoot is included - each additional reshoot will incur a $25 fee to cover the costs of chemistry.  Want to keep the reshoots or have duplicates?  They make great gifts!! Keeping a reshoot or duplicate is 50% off the a la carte price.

    • Tintypes are an antique handmade art form using equipment and techniques more than a century old.  As a result, chemistry artifacts will occur. Don't think of these as bugs, but features, giving each plate a unique - dare I say magical - quality.  That being said, if there is a big black streak right accross your face, a reshoot is no cost.

  • I offer digital scans for $50 each. With that you will get a HUGE file good for making enormous, poster-sized prints with as well as a smaller version good for posting online etc. These are professionally scanned and processed files that cleaned up and color balanced. Alternatively you can make your own digital file using your smartphone or camera. The key to a good copy is eliminating all glare. Lay your plate down on a table of the floor. Use two lamps down low close to the plate, one on either side of the tintype. Shade your camera from the lights. Look for any reflections in the dark areas of the plate. If you don’t see any you are good to go! Google “flat art copy” for a more in-depth explanation of the process.

FREQUESTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Collaboration is key. I love it when folks come with ideas. If you’ve got dreams, please share them with me. If you’ve got questions, ask them of me. These tintypes will outlive you and your grandchildren too, so let us both make certain they are worth your while.

A La Carte

Black and white photograph of a shirtless man with a beard and long hair holding a woman with long hair, in an intimate pose. The woman's face is turned to the side and resting on the man's chest. The background is dark and plain.

Minimum Purchase of $500

4×5

$125
Black and white photograph of a young man and woman. The woman is standing behind the man with her arm around his shoulder, while he holds a glass of drink. Both are smiling gently.

5×7

$175
Black and white photograph of a woman resting her face in her hands, with her elbows on a surface. She has long dark hair, freckles, and a septum piercing. The portrait is taken against a plain background.

8×10

$225
Schedule Session

Newlywed or Not

Black and white portrait of a woman with long, wavy hair, nude upper chest, freckles on face, light-colored eyes, and full lips, with an artistic and slightly distressed background.
Black and white tintype photograph of a shirtless man with messy, shoulder-length hair and a serious expression.

The vast majority of folks interested in having their tintypes made with me are couples. For that reason I have created a package specifically for couples, the Newlywed Or Not. You will save a bit of money and go home with a set of plates that will be passed down as heirlooms to your children, then to your children’s children… and so on and so on. We don’t know how long tintypes last exactly, because the very oldest ones ever created are only 175 years old, but these plates will be a record of who you are today for the souls you create tomorrow.

  • Two 4×5 Individual Studio Portraits

  • One 5×7 Couples Studio Portrait

  • One 8×10 Natural Light Environmental Portrait

Newlywed Or Not - $600
Black and white tintype photograph of a woman with long hair and freckles standing behind a shirtless man with long curly hair, with her arms around his neck, and their hands clasped in front of his chest.
Black and white tintype photo of a man and woman standing in a forest, looking directly at the camera. The woman is holding a bouquet of flowers, and the man is holding a bird. They are surrounded by trees and foliage.

Tintypes are extremely time and chemistry consuming, hence the minimum purchase. I am sorry if this makes it frustrating or entirely cost prohibitive for those of you on a tight budget. I totally get it. For that reason I schedule an occasional pop-up event at a local brew pub or the like where there is no minimum. For those of you who don’t want a full package - or can’t afford one - please be on the lookout for those.

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Multi-Light Modern Tintype Studio Portraits

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Natural Light Environmental Portraits

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The Tintype Company - Emma Wellan (6 of 6).jpg
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The Tintype Company - Kelli Roberts (2 of 2).jpg
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The Tintype Company - Ashley Knotek (3 of 6).jpg
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  • "Hands down the best experience of my life! Patrick was so welcoming to myself and my husband. His passion for his work definitely shows! We will treasure these photos for the rest of our lives.

    • Kristin H.

  • "Wow! What a phenomenal experience! Sometimes you meet a really genuine person and it just transfers to their work. We absolutely love our tintypes."

    • Grace W.

  • "My fiancé and I had the BEST time getting our engagement photos done with Patrick! He took time to educate us on the inner workings of the camera, the photography process, and the development process. He was so kind and welcoming - he made the entire day so much fun. "

    • Andrea S.

  • "Patrick photographed my husband and I the morning after our wedding. The attention to detail, the warm and friendly interaction - we felt like we were hanging with a friend! This was truly the most wonderful experience for our first day as Husband and Wife and would 13/10 do it again."

    • Kira C.

  • "I took maternity photos with Patrick last summer when I was 9 months pregnant - the experience and results were incredible! I wanted to do something unique and artistic and Patrick was the perfect photographer to work with. He had so many ideas and helped me make memories that are now family heirlooms! I cherish my photos more than I can describe."

    • Jayne G.

  • "Hands down one of the coolest experiences ever, & that’s all thanks to Patrick! He is so welcoming, fun, knowledgeable, & his passion for his art just radiates. This was the first thing my husband & I wanted to do for our honeymoon & I cannot recommend him enough."

    • Joslyn S.

Got a Question???

Collaboration is key! Come with ideas - or brainstorm with me.

Holler at me to discuss.