Invented in the late 1800s and popularized during the Civil War, tintypes are photographs created by exposing thin metal plates coated with collodion and silver nitrate. This process must be completed within a few minutes while the plate is still wet, resulting in a one of a kind ‘direct positive.’ The plates are sensitive to blue light, causing warm colors to appear dark while cool colors are uniformly light. Each photograph, or plate, is handmade and crafted with great care, and will last for many generations.
