One of the earliest photographic methods, dating back to the 1850s, a tintype is a direct positive image, exposed through a wet chemical process directly onto a thin piece of metal.

You can think of this as Tintype 101 class. We couldn't possibly cover it all, but we'll cover everything you'll need to make successful images. You don't need any

One of the earliest photographic methods, dating back to the 1850s, a tintype is a direct positive image, exposed through a wet chemical process directly onto a thin piece of metal.

You can think of this as Tintype 101 class. We couldn't possibly cover it all, but we'll cover everything you'll need to make successful images. You don't need any experience with analog cameras to learn. This will be a full day of hands on shooting, developing, and learning.

We'll go over the how to use large format cameras, the materials, safety, technique, and some of the products that are readily available online. Students will get to leave with a couple of tintypes they made themselves by the end of the day.

FAQ;

Q: What should I bring? A: Just bring yourself, in clothes that you don't mind getting stained. We typically practice by taking portraits of each other. We are working with darkroom chemistry after all. I'll have safety goggles for you. Alternatively, if you have a large format camera with a wetplate holder already bring that.

Q: I've seen similar images made on glass, will we go over that? A: You're referring to what are called Ambrotypes. We'll briefly talk about and the extra steps needed to make wetplate images on glass. It really isn't that different, but in the interest of time and early success we'll keep the process as simple as possible.

Q: I've heard some of the chemicals used in vintage photography are dangerous, do I need to be worried? A: We will go over all of the safety in the class. A simple set of safety glasses, and nitrile gloves covers most of it. We won't be using cyanide (traditional fixer) in our class as safter alternatives have long been available. All chemicals, even the ones under your kitchen sink, need to be dealt with respectfully and with understanding but if you're comfortable handling something like draino you'll be perfectly fine.

Q: What if I don't have a darkroom; can I still learn? A: Yes, While you do need a darkroom to use this process, I'll show you how a tent can be converted into a mobile darkroom for this process. I'll also show some DIY designs on how to make a small Darkbox.

Q: Will you be teaching wetplate negatives? A: I'll touch on it, but in the interest of time and early success we'll be sticking with tintypes for the class.

Q: Is there a workbook I can take with me to reference later. A: I have a book that I'll recommend that's a great reference to come back to if you've done the process before. The best practice would be to bring a pen and paper to make notes.

Q: How long will the class be? A: Starting at 10:00 am and ending around when Gene's Camera closes.

Q: Will there be a break for lunch? A: Absolutely, from 10am-12pm I'll mostly be presenting the history, the safety, some technicals, and about the steps of the process. We'll break for an hour for lunch afterwards and come back at 1pm to start the hands-on portion of the class.

Q: Can I follow up with you if I have questions or can't remember something later? A: Absolutely, my email is booking@dansonbrody.com I'd be excited to help you get set up and to troubleshoot. You can also come to my studio in Oak Park, IL (90mins from Gene's) if you need a quick refresher, again just email me.