What is a Tintype? A tintype is a one-of-a-kind photograph created using the historic wet plate collodion process. Unlike modern digital photography, this technique requires the plate to be coated, sensitized, exposed, and developed within minutes—all before it dries. The result? A rich, silvery, and slightly otherworldly image that will last for generations.

What to Expect at Your Session - Step into the past – Dale will walk you through the process as he carefully prepares a metal plate in the darkroom. You are invited to observe this fascinating step as your plate is hand-coated and made light-sensitive before exposure. - Sit for your portrait – You’ll be comfortably seated as Dale carefully composes the shot. A bright flash will capture your image in an instant, freezing your likeness onto the plate. This is a great time to ask questions about his large format camera and vintage lens being used! - Watch the magic happen – After the plate is exposed, you’re encouraged to follow Dale into the darkroom, where the image slowly appears in the developer—like a ghost emerging from the ether! Seeing this transformation firsthand is truly mesmerizing. - Drying and finishing – Since tintypes are created using a wet collodion emulsion, the plate must fully dry before it can be safely handled. After it has dried, your finished portrait will be carefully varnished and will be ready for pickup within a week. Dale will explain how to care for your tintype so it lasts for generations.

A Note on Multi-Person Portraits Each tintype is handmade, requiring careful composition, lighting, and timing. Because additional subjects add complexity to the process, a small fee applies for more than one person.

To register….. https://www.hcaa-in.org/service-page/tintype-portrait-day

May 18th at the conclusion of the ride. I will be set up near where you will park at The Garage Food Hall at 906 Carrollton Avenue.

Have your portrait made with your motorcycle using a 19th century photographic technique. The image is made from scratch using a piece of aluminum coated with a light sensitive emulsion. These heirloom portraits are meant to be handed down to future generations. There are countless tintypes from the mid 1800s still around for the descendants of the subjects to enjoy almost 175 years later!

The fee is $125 and if you would like to pre-pay to assure yourself a spot, that would be great!

Payable through Venmo @dalebernstein (tel. 2662) or through Paypal wetplate1@aol.com.

For information, feel free to contact me through this website.

https://www.gentlemansride.com/rides/united+states/indianapolis+in

Have an archival tintype portrait of yourself, your friends, family, pets or whatever or whomever you’d like.

These portraits on aluminum are meant to hand down to future generations unlike digital images and many paper prints. There are countless tintypes from the mid 1800s still around for the descendants of the subjects to enjoy almost 175 years later!

The cost is $125 per person. Please contact us to get on the schedule and for payment and other information. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended!