Photography is essentially a mechanical process and one that is endlessly repeatable. Now in this digital age anyone - young or old – can create images with ease. As a consequence we have reached an image duplication saturation point. The one-off unrepeatable object therefore takes on a special significance. This is what Melton Original Portraits offer. A unique and lasting memory to treasure for ever.
The Tintype
Englishman Frederick Scott Archer first invented the Wet Plate Collodion process in 1851. The tintype is essentially a variation of his original process but using a sheet of metal coated with black paint instead of a glass plate. This made the tintype very hardy and compared to the Daguerreotype they were not only inexpensive to produce they were more importantly quite quick and easy to create. This revolutionised photographic portraiture as it meant that almost anyone could afford to have their photographic likeness made. Initially most tintypes were made in formal studio settings but soon they were being created by photographers at fairgrounds, at the beach and on street corners.
Each Tintype image is made directly onto a metal plate placed in the camera. These plates are individually prepared and must be exposed and developed within just a few minutes or they are ruined. The skill of the photographer in mastering the chemistry, lighting, and careful timing to create the tintype is all-important. The entire process is done on location, with a portable darkroom. The tonal variations in the finished images reflect their hand-made character; the corners rubbed where they were held in the camera. The original, finished plates are later scanned to create archival pigment print photographs.
Melton Original Tintype Portraits use the same materials and techniques of Frederick Scott Archer and other 19th Century photographers. It is a totally handcrafted process and we create for you a historical document that will last forever – far longer than a traditional photograph or digital image. The photographs are a unique blending of subject matter and photographic technique. Part craft and part theatre. In fact they could be considered to be photographic sculptures because each one is individual and unique
On every portrait session there is a limited amount of Tintypes that can be shot, In the event that we cannot provide a Tintype we should be able to capture your portrait on the Direct Positive paper - We recommend to book a time slot for Tintypes - But do email us if you have any requests
Direct Paper Positive
Our Melton Original Portraits Positive Paper mixes traditional darkroom practice's with modern materials to create a unique and individual object that will be treasured. Using the same 5x4 large format technical camera that produces our captivating Tintype images, we use a special photographic paper that once processed, yields a direct positive image – no negative involved – in luxurious rich tones of black and white.
It uses the same darkroom on site, but different chemicals. The Direct Positive portrait is much more stable and we don't necessarily have to limit the amount we can do in a session, thus is less of a cost.
These are very unique and are hand developed on a professional grade photographic paper to last.
Represented by Felstead Art in Hackney Wick, East London