What is a tintype? A tintype is a photograph created with the wet-plate collodion process which dates back to 1851. Historically made on tin, which has been black japanned, most tintypes that are made in present day are actually aluminum. Collodion, which is often referred to as an emulsion, is actually a colloidal suspension, is poured on the plate’s surface. The plate is then placed in a tank with a silver nitrate solution to become sensitive to light. Once it has become sensitized, and while the plate is still wet, it is exposed to light, either natural or artificial.  Then the plate is brought back into the red light safe dark room to be developed and processed immediately. The plate’s development process is stopped by rinsing the image with water. After development has been stopped the plate can be brought out into the light. It is placed in a solution that fixes the image, eating away any unexposed silver and makes the image appear as a direct positive. After each plate is washed and dried, it is coated with a protective layer of varnish and ready to send off to its new home. While the process is fairly lengthy in comparison to modern photography, each image taking 15-20 minutes to create, and a one-shot deal, the results are awe inspiring and well worth the wait.

What is an ambrotype? Creating an ambrotype follows the same wet plate process as a tintype but uses glass instead of metal.

Do I need an appointment?  For a session in studio, yes, you will need to schedule an appointment. If there is an event, yes & no, depending on the event, some events have appointment slots available for pre-booking, others do not. If you have any questions regarding an event please shoot an email our way!

✸ The studio is fairly small and cannot accommodate large parties - please do not come in a group to your appointment. You may bring one adult guest with you, however, I recommend only having those in the photograph present. ✸

** In order to respect the privacy of everyones portrait sessions please come to your appointment on time - not early or late. We may be in session up until your scheduled time slot. Thank you for understanding! **

How long will a portrait session take and when will we receive our tintype?  It usually takes 15-30 minutes to shoot a single plate. Occasionally we may need to reshoot due to chemical anomalies, blinks etc. which is why sessions are an hour. This allows a bit of time to get things just right and for you to be happy with your image. :) Any of these seconds plates that aren’t quite perfect but you’d still like to go home with can be purchased at 50% off.

Typically plates are mailed out after events. Once your image is made, we must wait for your plate to dry & then varnish it to insure it is protected. The last step of varnishing is not completed at events, however, once your plate is varnished it will be sent to you. --- If you are local, you may pick your plate up once it is ready if you wish to.

Local tintype pickup is every week on Friday from 12-2 unless otherwise stated. (The best way to stay up to date is by viewing our instagram stories). If you select local pickup you will be responsible for remembering to pickup your tintype. You will only receive one reminder via automated email. For those of you from out of town, your plate will be in the mail on its way to you shortly, look out for an automated email with your tracking code. You may also order a digital copy of your image that will be sent directly to your inbox.  

**Please note that tintypes mail out every 1-2 weeks as I work in batches. If you need a quicker turnaround I offer rush delivery for an additional cost, please put this in the notes section when scheduling your appointment and let me know during our session. Digital Scan turn around may take anywhere from 1-2 weeks and 3-5 weeks if your portrait was scheduled during an event. **

How far in advance can I book my appointment? Currently I leave my books open three months in advance - if you are planning a trip further out please check back closer to your vacation date for availability.

What should I expect if I am having my portrait made? Each plate must be prepared prior to shooting, which will take a few minutes. First collodion is poured onto glass or metal. Second, the plate is made light sensitive by sitting in a tank of silver nitrate. Once light sensitive it must be exposed, developed & fixed in order for an image to appear. Below are the two lighting options used to expose plates:

• Natural light portraits - wet plate "film" is very slow and needs a lot of light to expose correctly. Making images with sunlight means subjects have to stay still anywhere from five seconds up to twenty seconds (sometimes even more), any movement, even slight will make your image blurry. This method allows for more full body images + more people. Please keep in mind that weather/sunlight conditions affect these sessions, prepare to be flexible when booking this type of session. Light changes quickly and we may need to pivot plans if/when changes pop up. Rescheduling may occur, especially the day of if conditions are not optimal for creating images. Thank you for your patience and understanding the nature of this historic method. Click here to view a gallery of images taken with natural light.

• Portraits taken using strobes - wet plate "film" is very slow compared to normal film speed, so to make an image without as much sunlight & much quicker, strobe lighting can be used. This will be a bright, very intense burst of light all at once. This gives us a quicker exposure time, meaning you won't have to sit for quite as long. If you have any history or seizures this option is not for you, please notify us and we can use natural lighting for your portrait. Studio portraits allow the subject to photographed from the torso up + do not allow for full body images, think of this as a head shot. Click here to view portraits taken with strobe lighting.

How many people can be photographed at once?  On account of size restrictions in the studio, we can easily shoot 3 people on the 8x10 plate, 2 people on the 5x7 plate and 2 people on the 4x5 plate. Due to a very shallow depth of field, the more people in the frame, the more difficult it becomes to achieve perfect focus. The more faces we add increases the possibility of some folks being in a softer focus. I am always willing to try a group shot out and see what we get.

Can the paper moon be used when scheduling regular studio appointments? Unfortunately no, the paper moon prop is only used several times a year and considered a special event - it requires a different studio set up than normal sessions. This also means that the only sizing option for this session is an 8x10 tintype. Please keep in mind when scheduling Paper Moon Sessions there are no reschedules, refunds or cancellations for this event. Check back around the winter holidays or Valentines Day for these events or sign up for my mailing list to get insider info and first chance booking.

What should I wear?  Anything you'd like! Feel free to dress up or dress as casually as you please. The Wet Plate Process is very similar to black & white film, essentially it is sensitive to all visible light except red. Colors translate very differently to what you would expect. Reds/oranges/yellows are rendered black, while blue is rendered white, so keep this in mind when you bring along clothes, accessories & props for your shoot. Try to avoid solid white or black as those can cause your image to be a bit too high contrast. Patterns, textures and denim also look great. Due to the historical camera used, we don't recommend that you wear text, as it will appear backwards on your photograph. Glasses are do-able, however, it is our observation that most coated glasses end up looking like sunglasses or have an extreme glare once the photograph has been processed. If you don’t feel yourself without them, we can definitely give it a shot!

What is included in a portrait session?  A session includes one tintype, unless additional plates are purchased. I will develop the plate in front of you so we are able to make changes during a session if time allows. If you are unhappy with the image we can always opt to re-shoot if something feels off to you aesthetically. There will be a $25 chemistry fee if we re-shoot the portrait more than once. This fee does not apply to blinks or chemical anomalies that are present and interfere with the subjects of the image. If we reshoot and you would also like to take home any seconds or imperfect plates they can be purchased at 50% off their regular price. Scans of seconds/imperfect plates will need to be purchased for $25 per scan if you wish to have a digital copy. If time allows and you would like to add more plates to your session each plate price is based on size - 8x10 @ $185, 5x7 @ $120, 4x5 @ $100.

Can I buy a gift certificate? Definitely! There are several gift certificate/portrait session options available. If you don’t see what you’re looking for shoot us an email and we can set everything up for you!

Can I bring my child or pet to the studio? *UPDATE* If you are interested in having your pet at your portrait session your pet must be under 15lbs and able to be held. Your pet must be well behaved and able to listen to commands, sit, stay. At this moment I am not accepting pet portraits unless you have emailed me and meet the above mentioned criteria. Once we have spoken you will receive a direct scheduling link.

In regards to your human children, yes, well behaved children are welcome, I ask that you just let me know prior to your appointment.

Please be aware that this process requires the subject to be completely still. In my experience, capturing portraits of young children and pets with this antique method is quite difficult. You and your child must be able to stay completely still for about 30 seconds while focusing, loading the plate holder into the camera and taking the image. Any slight movement will result in your final image being blurry. It's important that children (and adults!) in the studio are able to sit still and follow direction. There will be a $25 chemistry fee if we re-shoot the portrait more than once. This fee does not apply to blinks or chemical anomalies that are present and interfere with the subjects of the image.

Keep in mind that the tintype studio is not the most child friendly place.  Wet plate collodion photography is a chemical process.  There are chemicals stored in my studio and used during each session.  The lighting I use may make children & animals upset or uncomfortable. These lights are extremely fragile, expensive and heavy. Any mishaps or broken equipment will result in a break you buy fee.

Please remember to chat with your youngsters prior to coming into the studio. Thank you.

Please also be aware Waylon, my dog is often in the studio. Please close the gate behind you before coming into the studio. I am on a very busy corner. He will bark when you come in - he’s very excited you are coming to have your picture made. Waylon is very small but he should still be treated like a dog. Please do not pick him up, and do not put your face in his face. Please respect his space and the boundaries that he communicates with you.

Are marks on my image normal ? For the most part, yes. Tintypes/Ambrotypes are imperfect, thats what makes them so special. This style of photography is over 150 years old and a chemical process. Minor flaws due to chemistry and evidence of handling are normal. If any of these detract from the image, let us know before we finish the photograph, and we can re shoot at no cost. 

Can I use the photograph commercially? Sure. Like any photographer, usage fees apply when the work is used in a commercial or editorial fashion. The price will vary depending on how the image is used. You may contact me anytime for a quote. Please be sure to properly give credit when applicable.

What about digital copies? Definitely, these are included in each session and sent to the inbox of the email provided while booking. They will arrive 1-2 weeks after your session for normal studio sessions, usually sooner. I work in batches and try to get them out as quickly as possible but please remember that I am a one person business. Images from special events, during holiday seasons or out of town pop-ups will have longer turn around times (anywhere from 3-5 weeks). I appreciate your patience. If you need a quicker turnaround you can let me know when you will need your scans, however, there will be a rush fee. Those who have selected local tintype pickup will not receive digital copies until their physical images have been picked up from the studio.

What if I want to take my tintype home the day of my appointment? No, problem - just be sure to purchase the add on “rush it ready” when scheduling. You can swing back by the studio in the evening to grab your photographs. I usually have tintypes ready for same day pickup between 5-7:30 pm.

Are you available for events? Yes! Shoot me an email and we can always chat more in depth. Traveling fees apply. Traveling fee is subject to increase if beyond 30 miles of Asheville.

EVENT / POP-UP INFO

Set up time takes about a little under two hours. Tear down time is around 45 minutes. Additionally, access to power and water is needed, please keep this in mind when booking. In our experience there will need to be at least a 20 amp breaker or more to allow our strobe lighting to be fully functional. If you have any questions or concerns with this please let us know.

SHIPPING POLICIES

All mailed Tintypes/Ambrotypes are shipped with tracking included, however, once they leave my hands I am not responsible for lost mail or mail sent to the wrong address. If you would like to insure your package or request signature confirmation please let me know. Please be aware there will be an added fee.

I am not responsible for mail lost or stolen once it leaves my care, please use secure/safe shipping addresses and request signature confirmation/extra insurance if you need to. Thanks!

CANCELATION POLICIES

Please provide 72 hours advance notice of cancelation or rescheduling appointments. In cases where you are unable to make their appointment within the 72 hour period - clients may reschedule at a later date. We understand emergencies & life happen, however, we reserve the right to charge 100% of the appointment cost if appointments are canceled, rescheduled or not notified during the 72 hr time period, especially in the event of no call/no shows. No calls/no shows will not be able to book sessions in the future. This also applies to event/pop-up cancelations. In the event of rescheduling an appointment please send an email to notify and be sure to include a few dates that work for you - that way I am able to see what lines up best with my schedule.

**By scheduling your session you understand that there is a 25% non-refundable deposit. This deposit is included in pricing for each session when booking. This deposit will not be refunded in cases of cancelation.**

Please note you may only reschedule sessions a maximum of two times.
Thank you for support and understanding how your purchases affect small businesses.

GIFT CARDS

Gift cards are valid for one year after purchase date, they are non-refundable. Gift cards are mailed out to the address you provide after purchasing through website. If you do not add an address you will only receive the digital certificate sent to your inbox. In order to schedule your portrait session and redeem your gift card please enter your certificate code while scheduling online or email info@saramulvey.com. You must bring your gift card with you to your session in order to redeem, thank you for understanding.

HOUSE CALLS / PORCH PORTRAITS / ON LOCATION SESSIONS

Set up and break down takes about 30-45 minutes. The images we create during this session will be natural light only, please understand this means you will need to hold still for 7-20 seconds. This method isn’t forgiving when photographing children or animals, any slight movement will create a blur in our final image. While not as efficient as studio sessions these sessions allow for full body portraits and have a softer look. If this is your thing book here or shoot us an email to set up a porch portrait!

**Travel fee 10 miles within Asheville city limits is included in the session, however, outside of Asheville proper travel fee begins at $65 - please email with further questions. Travel 25 miles beyond Asheville is based on mileage to and from location. Finalized pricing will be sent within 1-2 weeks before your session. Please email for more information on quotes. **