Collodion Color Comparison
The wet plate collodion process is sensitive only to blue and ultraviolet light. Warm colors appear dark, cool colors uniformly light, as seen in the photograph on the left. This sometimes causes certain prints or patterns to not appear when photographed using the wet plate collodion process. White or bright colors tend to get washed out because of the longer exposure and can sometimes appear blown out. While black can often absorb a lot of lot resulting in no detail.
What to wear? As you can see on the left, reds, oranges, greens, as well as dark blues will appear much darker. Lighter blues will appear almost white. Because of this, I do not recommend wearing solid black or solid white color clothing. Patterns with varying colors look great.
Because a tintype is a direct positive, articles of clothing with words will appear backward and what's on the left will be on the right and vice versa.
Glasses, depending on the glass, coatings, prescription, etc. could appear clear or dark, as though you're wearing sunglasses. Glasses can also catch reflections that I do not see looking through my camera. Or they could look fine. Please see the photographs below to see examples.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions: bayareatintype@gmail.com
How to Care for Your Tintype
Congratulations on owning a unique piece of 19th-century photographic history! Tintypes are one-of-a-kind, delicate, and require special care to ensure they last for generations to come. Here's a guide to help you protect and maintain your tintype:
Keep it in its box
For the first 10 days, please leave the tintype in its protective box. This box helps shield the image from environmental factors while the gum sandarac varnish continues to dry. The varnish, made from tree sap, is still a bit tacky at this stage, so it’s important to give it time to fully set.
Avoid touching the surface
After the 10-day waiting period, you can carefully remove the tintype from its box. However, avoid touching the surface as much as possible. The varnish remains delicate, and any contact could damage or smudge the image.
Framing tips
If you wish to frame your tintype, we recommend placing it in a frame with a small gap between the glass and the surface of the tintype. Avoid direct contact with the glass to protect the varnish and the image from pressure or abrasions.
Keep your tintype out of direct sunlight for long periods. Store or display it in a shaded area to maintain its integrity.
By following these simple guidelines, your tintype will remain a beautiful and timeless piece of history. Treat it with care, and it will continue to captivate for many years to come!