Northland studio

Heirloom portraits

Each tintype is one-of-a-kind, made with pure silver on a metal plate. It's the most archival process to date with plates from the 1850s still looking good. Your great great grandchildren may enjoy looking at these.

We offer prints made from a digital copy photograph. That is the only way to make a print. Print sizes range from 4x5in to 16x20in. See below for print and matted print prices.

Note: I make a digital copy after each shoot. Each image is retouched lightly for dust and etc. in Photoshop and is adjusted for tone and contrast.

I provide a low resolution digital image for each plate suitable for social media.

Larger digital copies are only available with Print or Mounted Print orders or by special arrangement.

Price for commercial usage of images varies by usage.

Pricing 4x5 plates

Studio sessions start at $75 for a single plate. These take about 20 minutes to shoot and another hour to finish washing, varnish and to box up to go home.

Hour sessions start at $140 for 4x5 plates and we can shoot 2-3 plates at a relaxed pace working on ideas and lighting. Best for individual or a couple wanting a few images.

Two hour (4x5 plate) sessions are $280. We'll shoot 5-6 plates. Studio time goes quickly. Most couples and families do 2+ hours.

Longer sessions at $140/hour.

Pricing 8x10 plates

Studio sessions start at $120 for a single plate. These take about 20 minutes to shoot and another hour to finish washing, varnish and to box up to go home. Hour sessions start at $215 for 8x10 plates and we can shoot 2 (maybe 3) plates at a relaxed pace working on ideas and lighting. This is best for an individual or a couple wanting a couple images. Two hour (8x10 plate) sessions are $430. We'll shoot 5-6 plates. Studio time goes quickly. Most couples and families do 2+ hours. Longer sessions at $215/hour.

What to Expect

Tintype images date to the mid 1850s. I mix chemicals in the open air and and then sensitize and load the plate into a holder in the dark to shoot while still wet. You can expect a little dust, some strange awesome unexpected results in the form of streaks, and marks due to time, temperature, and chemical shenanigans.

Print Prices

Unmounted Prints on Hahnemuhle’s Fine Art Baryta Satin paper

8x10 - $100

11x14 - $200

16x20 - $275

Mounted Archival Prints ready for framing

8 x 10 - $275

11 x 14 - $400

16 x 20 - $600

Turn around time varies for print and matte services.

A 50% deposit required to begin print and framing orders, balance due at time of delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at photo.chrischapman@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What should I wear?

Wool, denim and hats play very well in tintypes. Generally you should avoid solid dark black and bright white clothes due to the high contrast results from the wet-plate process. Colors in the red/orange end of the spectrum will be somewhere between very dark to invisible to the camera.

How many people can be photographed at once?

With my current studio lighting and camera I'm limited to photographing two people at once framed from about the waist up. But new things are coming soon, brighter lights and different cameras and lenses.

Can I bring my calm house trained pet to be photographed?

We've had some good success photographing pets! The lights are bright and can be startling so we may only get one shot at this.

How long do I have to be still during an exposure?

Exposure times in the studio with powerful strobes are incredibly short. The reason for being very still is the depths of field in sharp focus is really slim. I focus on the eyes and then make the exposure within about 10-15 seconds. If you move even a centimeter before the exposure the focus will be off.

How long can a tintype last?

That we know of at least 170 years and still looking good. It's among the most archival of photo processes and to top it off it's encased in a thin layer of amber (think insects from forever ago) we call varnish to protect its more delicate image layer.

Can I buy a gift certificate?

Absolutely! Click HERE