“We wanted tintypes for our engagement session because we want our grandkids to be able to hold these objects and remember that they come from a lineage of love.”
“[Ashley] came out to our home on our would-be wedding day to take pictures of us to honor our own little hand-fasting ceremony that we had in lieu of our 2020 wedding. She was an absolute joy to work with because she was so kind and down-to-earth, which really helped my socially anxious self relax. The images that came from that day are ones my partner and I will cherish forever. True heirlooms for our future descendants.”
“It started when we hired Ashley to make our tintypes as engagement photos... she made us feel so comfortable and after seeing her wedding work we decided to then hire her as our official photographer for digital and film photos. Our guests loved looking at the tintypes on the entry table and we can’t wait to come back to commemorate our first anniversary with another session!”
The importance of the printed wedding photograph has been forgotten.
One hundred and fifty years ago, on your wedding day, you and your spouse might have gone to a photographic studio in the city in your ornate wedding clothing. You would notice the smell of ether in the air, and you would try to steady yourself on an overstuffed victorian couch or ionic column during the twenty second exposure. When the photographer emerged from his darkroom, you would watch in utter amazement as a ghostly, shining image of yourself emerged in a tray of liquid. You would keep and treasure that tiny photograph your entire life, and perhaps that would be the only one ever made of you. That process was tintype, and our ancestors understood that it was magical. Those of us who are romantics still understand.
I’ve been photographing weddings the traditional way for close to twenty years, but it wasn’t until I began offering tintypes that I really realized how timeless and tangible a wedding photograph can be. There is something extraordinary about holding a photograph that was made on the spot, by hand, in the exact place it was taken: it’s like an emotional time capsule that will transport you and your ancestors to that day every time they pick that tintype up.
Whether we make tintypes in the studio, in the yard of your home (my favorite), at your venue on your wedding day or in a beautiful natural space that’s meaningful to the two of you some other day, a tintype session is a timeless way to honor your love.
There are several options available to couples to include tintypes in their celebration: engagement sessions (these tintype make wedding table displays!), day-of wedding tintype portraits, and portraits of your family/wedding guests. I offer tintypes at a discount as an add-on to my regular digital/film wedding packages, but I also book sessions on their own. I can travel with my tintype kit, but I’m limited to locations to which I can drive from Portland, OR.
Tintype sessions do require time, bright natural light, multiple second exposure times, and there are limitations regarding location and temperature. These sessions won’t work at all weddings or in all situations, but when the timing and location is right, they are truly incredible and will provide you with 5-20 priceless, one-of-a-kind silver photographs on metal, handmade the way they have been for 150 years.
To begin the process of planning your tintype shoot, use the “contact” link to tell me more about your vision, including date, location, what kind of event you’re planning, and which package you have in mind.
Please keep in mind that a tintype session isn’t a good replacement for a wedding photo booth, or for a traditional all-day wedding photographer. Tintype images can take 10 minutes to set up, shoot, and develop, and the final images take several days to be scanned, varnished, and ready to enjoy. If you’re planning a large wedding with many guests and a strict schedule, perhaps scheduling a session on a different day may work better.
As always, I am proud to photograph people in love of all sizes, colors, gender identities, and sexual orientations. Everyone’s love looks radiant in tintype!
Private engagement, elopement and wedding tintype sessions range from $550-2300.
Reach out to me on my contact page and let’s discuss the logistics of making heirloom photographs for you and your loved ones.
