Charleston TinTypist

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Charleston TinTypist Photographic Artist making real TINTYPESšŸ’ 1851 wet-plate collodion process šŸ’ Lives in Charleston, SC. F.A.Q. on website.Questions? The process was invented in 1851.

Only working at events listed on my scheduleā€”No private sessions. Please EMAILāœ‰ļø[Iā€™ve turned off DMs]ā­ļø I create authentic tintypes using the historic wetplate collodion process entirely by hand. I mix my own chemicals using exact recipes from that period. I have been doing this process since 2013. I hope to make your picture at an upcoming event! The best way to reach me is by e-mail: [email protected]

Mail wagon for headquarters, Army of the Potomac, at Falmouth, Virginia, March 1863. (Source: Pinterest) I varnished the...
10/12/2026

Mail wagon for headquarters, Army of the Potomac, at Falmouth, Virginia, March 1863. (Source: Pinterest)
I varnished the Franklin tintypes over the weekend, and theyā€™re getting mailed out today, and should arrive this week. Please let me know next week, if thereā€™s a delay on receiving yours (all are insured and tracked). Prints have already been ordered and my lab will likely ship those out today as well. Those may take 7-14 days. Please also let me know if thereā€™s a delay on receiving yours.
Paper print copies of a tintype youā€™re in can be ordered even YEARS later. I have an archive of all my scans. One guy had lost his original tintype that Iā€™d made several years ago in a move, but he was able to get a print of it. My ā€œstoreā€ page to order prints is in the first comment.
Thanks again for your support of my work! I appreciate you all!šŸ«¶šŸ»

Thanks again to the event staff at the recent 162nd Franklin Reenactment and to everyone who stopped by just to say hell...
10/10/2026

Thanks again to the event staff at the recent 162nd Franklin Reenactment and to everyone who stopped by just to say hello, and of course to those who sat for a tintype. A few sat in the rain for very long exposures when it was misty and overcast - so thanks for your patience! My next tintype event is at Fort Clinch, FL (Fernandina Beach) on Nov 7-8 and then I'll be off to Annual Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade in Gettysburg, PA where I'll be hosted again by the Gettysburg Heritage Center on their front lawn on Nov 13-14-15. šŸ˜€ Hope to see you there!

Some folks appreciate my hyper-specific nerdiness - like spending half a day immersed in researching antique buckets in ...
10/09/2026

Some folks appreciate my hyper-specific nerdiness - like spending half a day immersed in researching antique buckets in historic photos - while a few, well, not so much! A young guy made sure to mention that right outside my tent last weekend.šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø
Whatever. Perhaps standing up for myself years ago earned me a permanent spot on a few grudge lists. (What can I say? I'm dangerous like that.šŸ˜›) But after over 12 years in the hobby, it doesn't phase me. Happens to everyone (I hear ALL the tea). Iā€™ll still smile, say hey, and continue trying to level up my craft and impression.
With plenty of good times ahead, there are no retirement plans in sight for this nerd. šŸ˜›
Btw, I was booked up solid last weekend shortly after arriving.šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø
Also, for the folks puzzled by my appointment mode of bookings: even legends like Claude Levet took bookings! (his former assistant was telling me) I run a solo darkroom, not a high-volume assembly line. I prefer taking the time to make each portrait unique rather than keeping you trapped in an hour wait line. If thatā€™s not your style (perhaps youā€™re used to smaller, less busy events where thereā€™s no line at the photographer), no hard feelingsā€”just please keep the grumbling down to a polite whisper as you stroll past my tent and try to at least act like a gentleman. āœŒšŸ»

A couple more plates of confederates at Franklin. Scanning more slowly.
10/08/2026

A couple more plates of confederates at Franklin. Scanning more slowly.

We had alot of fun making these two tintypes for Rebecca Dunbar and Michele Walter Shuman on Saturday. šŸ˜€
10/08/2026

We had alot of fun making these two tintypes for Rebecca Dunbar and Michele Walter Shuman on Saturday. šŸ˜€

The 9th Kentucky Volunteers Infantry Regiment at Franklin.
10/07/2026

The 9th Kentucky Volunteers Infantry Regiment at Franklin.

Rain, mud, and a heavy camera on an unlevel slopeā€¦what could possibly go wrong?šŸ™ƒšŸ¤£This past Saturday morning started with...
10/06/2026

Rain, mud, and a heavy camera on an unlevel slopeā€¦what could possibly go wrong?šŸ™ƒšŸ¤£
This past Saturday morning started with me playing a game of "level the tripod" in the drizzling rain. Just as I was questioning my life choices, the 9th KY Vol Infantry marched up, ready for their tintype.
I was a bit frazzled, because I wasnā€™t expecting an entire unit right at that moment. A few surprised cuss words escaped my lips. šŸ¤
Thankfully, I have photographed this particular unit before, so I immediately put on my authoritarian hat, and loudly called out instructions until I had them sorted into a neat grouping of three rows and everyone posed quickly and efficiently.
Thankfully the half-plate tintype came out beautifully and we were all pleased and relieved. šŸ˜…
A huge thank you to David T. Lewis Exploring History for capturing the behind-the-scenes picture while patiently waiting his turn.(scanning the tintypes this evening)

[Edited: Bruh, some of yā€™all are so silly today. Turned off comments here too. If you donā€™t like my posts, you know that you can just block me, right?šŸ¤£ btw, I am not monetized - I donā€™t care if I get commentsšŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø]

10/05/2026

Spirits were high when a bagpiper from The Citadel basically crashed the dance at Franklin. šŸ˜ƒ
(Apologies for my bad videography)
[EDITED: I donā€™t have the energy to be deleting BS comments and people getting upset over nothing, so Iā€™ve turned off commenting.šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø]
JM Loid; The Citadel Military Living History Society

Well, looks like tomorrow has been cancelled at Franklin. Due to most people probably packing up to leave, Iā€™m going to ...
10/04/2026

Well, looks like tomorrow has been cancelled at Franklin.
Due to most people probably packing up to leave, Iā€™m going to refund everyone who had appointments for Sunday morning and pack up in the morning. Safe travels and Iā€™ll catch yā€™all at Fort Clinch in November or at Remembrance Day Parade .

10/03/2026

Quite a challenging day! It began early with fog and heavy clouds forcing me to do 45 second exposures. Slowly the exposures became 30 then 10 seconds and finally the fastest I did all day was 2 seconds. Now Iā€™m resting my throbbing feet. Iā€™ll put away my gear in a moment.
Posting a video that Rebecca Dunbar made of a tintype in the fixer tray. Iā€™ll share one of the two tintypes I made for her and Michele Walter Shuman in the comments. Those were fun.
Iā€™ll scan properly when I get home.
Not sure if rain will allow for pics tomorrow. If itā€™s light rain and people donā€™t mind getting rained on, we can work it out. Iā€™m gamešŸ˜›(edited; event got cancelled for Sunday. No pics - Iā€™m packing up)

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