I am by no means an expert on the camera lens, and in many cases, the use of a view camera lens versus a modern lens used on a conventual fixed focal plane camera such as an SLR style camera, one needs to take in a few different aspects, such as the area covered on the focal plane as well as the focal length between the center of the lens to the focal plane. then before the invention of the iris type aperture, the lens was generally used as we now call it wide open, that is until it was realized that you could increase the depth of field by decreasing the size of the opening, through which the light traveled, this was accomplished through an action called stopping it down. however, this also increased how long it takes the light to travel through the lens, effectively increasing the exposure time by a stop. The 1st basic stops were nothing more than a washer-like disk that one needed to disassemble the lens to insert, later, slots were added to the lens to allow the user to insert the stops, rather than taking the lens apart. this later style was named after the inventor, a British astronomer John Waterhouse. AKA the Waterhouse Stop.

Using a combination of continuous lighting and strobe lighting, along with fresh collodion, I was able to take some, in my opinion, wonderful photos at the Tanners antique and craft show, this last weekend. I also got to show off, some of the neat aspects of using a Petzval formula portrait lens. The lens historically, was a purely mathematically purpose designed lens, to increase the speed of how the light traveled through the lens to allow the photographer to use nearly instantaneous exposures times to take portraits. However, the lens also had some artifacts. Those artifacts were very narrow focal area and shallow depth of field. Forcing the photographer to use large and heavy lenses, for very small sized images, those artifacts also helped expanded upon the argument as to what photography was, such as was it a science, was it art, or was it simply something to record history, creating multiple camps and ideas of what photography is or was, even today 178 years post the introduction of the daguerreotype, photography is still evolving, creating a greater separation between the artist and the technician, while adding digital artist, that digitally create new images based upon photographs

one of my more favored photographers from the 19^th century, Julia Margaret Cameron, who was often frowned upon by the greater photographic societies, because she focused on using the tools that she had to manipulate light and focus, to express feelings and emotions, rather than creating a technical replica of the subject.  As part of that, she, in my opinion, exploited one of the more difficult artifacts from the Petzval lens, bringing portrait photography to a new level of art while helping to create the portrait photographer.

The other artifact, from the Petzval lens, that is not something commonly seen in classic portraiture, as it was often considered distracting while marring the technical details of the photo, is what we call today as swirly bokeh. The effect is created by pushing a combination of the focus area and depth of field. It typically shows up at extreme edges of the focus area and near the infinity depth of focus, outside of the depth of field, beyond the focal point. In a studio like setting with a backdrop, the swirly bokeh doesn’t show up. However, this effect was occasionally used to enhance a focal point, or as an artifact, in some photos from the mid 19^th century.  most commonly when the photographer needed a very fast exposure, as compared to using a much slower lens such as a single aplanatic or the near pin-hole, wide angle lens.

That swirly bokeh effect, was considered more as an artifact of the lens, but it was also a signature of how the glass was ground and spaced, causing lens manufacturers to try a number of different experiments using similar element configurations to keep the speed, while eliminating the artifacts, thus making it very difficult if not impossible to recapture those effects using a modern lens. That is until a company called Lomography created what they call a modern Petzval, which is specifically to exploit the swirly bokeh effect, and in my opinion failing to understand the true nature of the lens.

here’s a review of the Lomography Petzval by Richard Wong

starting, in, I believe the 1860’s lens manufacturers such as Dallmeyer started allowing the photographer to adjust focal area, through the ability to unscrew in the rear element of the Petzval designed lens, effectively increasing or decreasing the air spaced gap between the rear elements of the lens. This effect allows the photographer to soften the focus, by decreasing the focal area, this effectively allows the photographer to focus on a specific point, keeping that point in perfect focus while throwing everything else out of focus.  This effect turning about to be a wonderful effect principally used by portrait photographers such as Julia Margaret Cameron.

I truly enjoy using my Dallmeyer 2B, Patent Portrait lens, a lens made in 1876,  using the Petzval formula, unfortunately, unless I get a volunteer, I don’t often get a chance to really play and work on doing much more than the generic, almost passport-like photo on a tintype

here are the two half-plate sized tintypes of twins taken using my Dallmeyer 2B, – while capture some neat lighting and soft focus effects, creating wonderful portraits.
The images seen here of the tintypes were taken using my cell phone prior to being varnished, and while still wet, as a result, the there are some weird reflections and exaggerations of the actual tones of the image.

please note, due to the particular fixer along with the developer formula I use, my images provide a little warmer brown tone, rather than the cold contemporary blue toned black & white images.  This is compounded by the nature of tintype images, their true beauty is often visually impaired by the ambient light and its tones, remember artificial light, often has more red and brown tones in it, rather than being full spectrum. its then digitally flattened, removing the reflective qualities of the silver and varnish, while picking up color tones from the lighting that the image was rephotographed in using whatever camera was convenient in.  please do not mistake using words such as it’s dark or very brown when comparing to images that have been scanned and digitally manipulated.

note, the video I shared on facebook of the video, of the tintype of my 1909 safety bicycle.  the actual tones are the same.

We are sad to announce that, we chose to bypass the Mariposa Civil War Event due to weather – for us when we attend events such as Mariposa, we travel on Thursday to set up for the School Days presentation on Friday,  then return on Monday. Due to the required time that we are on site, and that we travel heavy, this means towing our trailer and setting up to stay onsite for the duration.  Mariposa is a 7-hour drive for us.

With the rain and snow that was forecast, with zero UV on Saturday, this effectively would have prevented us from taking wet-plate photos for the majority of the weekend.

Wet-plate collodion photography is not as exacting a science as we would like. Also, the chemicals are sensitive to the climate, temperature, and elevation, it also relies heavily on the slower wavelengths of light, primarily Ultra Violet and Blue.  Thus, when those wavelengths of light are filtered out via clouds, it basically prevents us from doing timely photographic exposures, stretching the time of a single exposure to several minutes.

Please note, at present time, Battle Born Historical Photography is on a shoestring budget and often operates at a negative. While Battle Born Historical Photography is technically classified as a for-profit, photographic artist buiness and falls under some different non-profit organizations for education. When we are effectively prevented from doing photographic work, it negates our purpose.

We apologize to the organizers and our friends who had counted on our presence.

P.S. on a personal note, one of the things we missed the most was the birthday celebrations of two of our friends, Becky Thompson & Jack Eaves. 

regards
Kristine & Sharon

The frames, that I’m producing are cast from molds of original frames out of resin and are as close as practical to the original thermal set plastic frames.  Please do not confuse these frames as cheap imitations. I’m using modern materials to make molds of original 19th-century frames. The original frames are often quite expensive and difficult to obtain. Occasionally I do sell original frames; however, they are sold at a premium based on current market values.

The original frames were handcrafted and designed, a metal mold was then made from that design. The frames were cast from a thermal set resin, that’s often incorrectly called gutta-percha. Gutta-percha is not plastic by the common definition but rather a form of natural latex, most of it, during the 19th century was used to insulate underwater telegraph lines or was mixed with other materials to create a more hard plastic like substance. As far as it’s known Union Cases and frames were not made from or used gutta-percha in their construction. Then, depending on the age of the case or frame, they are made from a mixture of natural resin, sawdust, and celluloid. the older cases and frames have a different look to them, they look like they are made from beaverboard or wood rather than resin. The newer union cases and frames use a resin called Parkesine. Parkesine was introduced in 1862, as the 1st man-made plastic, it is made using our favorite chemical compound, Nitrocellulose aka Collodion, mixed with some different resins to create, a pliable substance that when heated can be molded. Modern resins are considered exothermic when the two parts of the resin are mixed together, there is a chemical reaction that heats the material hardening it. Unfortunately, the word gutta-percha became a common household name for all plastics in the late 19th-century and is still used today in much the same fashion.

The Frames, and eventually cases that I’m making, are molded in silicone and cast using modern resins that, are possibly stronger than the original frames. so please do not think of them as the same cheap plastic injection molded frame. they are all hand made, one at a time using high-quality materials.

please note, that the frames and cases are molded from original frames therefor they are not designed for modern image sizes, such as 4×5, 4×6 5×7 and 8 x 10. historic sizes are referenced by the plate sizes such as whole-plate, half-plate, quarter-plate.. and so on, for those measurement’s please see my prices

There are a number of different styles of frames, as well as materials that they are made from. I’ll do my best to explain the styles as well as provide a basic example.

Wood Frames:
These frames are typically reserved for the larger whole-plate or larger images. They are very often ornate with gold-leaf accents. Many of them are very deep, much like a picture box, they are basically typical wood frames of the era, with many different variations, the images are protected with glass and separated from the glass via a mat, that’s chosen to accent and frame the subject in the photo. and finally, the Frame is backed with wood or paper and wire attached to hang the photo.

This particular frame measures 12” x  14” and is 2” deep. It’s a fine example of a 19th-century wood frame, with a hand painted, whole-plate sized tintype. Circa 1850’s

European frames:
These frames are typically made from wood and are finished with plaster filigrees and coated with a varnish.  They are designed to accept a separate cassette, that’s often an ambrotype that’s been sealed and matted with a plaster & paper mat. like their wood counterparts, the frame & cassette are backed with paper, there is typically a small ring that’s been attached via a small grommet to hand the photo.

This particular frame measures 7.5”  x  8” the visible image area 2.5” x  3” – it’s a tinted ambrotype, on the back of the cassette, it states: Taken at Canterbury, June 19^th 1856
aged 69

Papier-mâché:
These frames are sort of rare, in that they typically do not survive the ages, I believe they are cast in a similar fashion as some of the resin frames, only with a few layers of Papier-mâché, which is then painted and varnished.

they were designed primarily to be hung from the wall, via a small ring that’s bonded to the Papier-mâché. The image is permanently mounted and backed with some paper in the frame  – they, I believe will be easy to create modern molds from and cast in resin, or possibly even Papier-mâché, as a less expensive alternative.

resion frames (so-called Gutta-percha): 

at present time, I have a limited number of frames to work with, as originals tend to be quite costly as do the materials to produce them, there are within this group are 3 different sub-categories that I know of which are based more upon how they are mounted in the frame. they can loosely be called: the case-frame, the paper-backed and metal-backed.

• The case-frame:
  This traditionally is, I believe one of the more difficult styles to produce in that it was traditionally cast from a two-part mold, with picture being mounted into the front of the frame, in the same fashion as a case, traditionally using a piece of glass, that has been set into the preserver, then the mat is placed on the glass, which is then followed by the image, facing the glass. the preserver is then folded in the back. this cassette is then inserted into the front of the case:

quarter-plate frame with an original tintype of union soldier

the back of the same frame, not is designed as a hanging frame only

• consistently these have been one of my challenging to make, as I’m not sure of the best location for injecting the resin – additionally, I have to redo the mold as I had some issue with it releasing correctly, at this point my goal is to obtain perfect cast, then  remake the mold from that cast. so far this cast is the best cast I’ve gotten from the mold, I’ve mounted a quarter plate ambrotype of my daughter in the cast. – this frame is not for sale.

• The Paper-backed
  I do not have examples with the supporting wires, however I believe the frames used a simple wire to allow the frame the ability to stand up, with another ring and grommet fixture to allow the frame to be hung. the backing of this frame is thin cardboard, that’s locked into the frame using the same style of hooks found on a conventional wood and paper case
  

  this frame holds a CDV sized image and is has a patent date of 1855

  

  note the hook and grommets, the top is broken, where it likely had a ring to allow the frame to be hung

   

• Metal-backed
  These frames are cast from a single piece mold are backed with japanned tin, they have a support which allows them to freely stand, as well as small ring, that allows them to be hung. the back is locked in place with a small piece of tin at the bottom or to either side, it’s attached via a single screw at the top of the frame allowing it swing open, allowing the picture to be mounted.
  

  

  I’m presently working reproducing the stand, however, the following photo’s are of one of my cast resin frames with its current back. presently it’s painted tin, with a small ring at the top, attached the same way as the originals. making them very difficult to tell the difference between an original.

  

  

   

Metal:
the majority of these look very similar in design to the Resin frames, only they are often cast in iron or bronze instead. I do not have any examples and have no near future plans on making any.

Can you Transfer my photo to a tintype?

It seems that when I’m at non-themed shows, such as generic craft and antique shows Taking tintype photo’s that I’m invariably asked this question.

The basic answer is no, each tintype photo is an original photo taken utilizing historic methods and antique equipment.  However this is not strictly true, in the 19^th century people like Mathew Brady, could do what’s called copy photos, using a specialized camera, simply called a copy camera, these still existed today, however they tend to be very expensive, and to be honest I’m not sure how well one would work with a modern color photo.

However, if it’s something that you absolutely need to have, let me provide a basic breakdown of the process involved and the associated cost. While reminding you that many people consider my prices very reasonable, with it often being suggested to raise my prices on some of my different plate sizes.

To start, I can not skip steps in processing a tintype, however, the exposure doesn’t need to be done in a camera, it may be done in a darkroom using a conventional enlarger.

That being said, the photo will need to be turned into a transparent positive no larger than 4” x 5”, basically a slide, I can do this, however scanning your photo is a $30.00 flat fee, with an addition charge of $10.00 for hi resolution print on a transparency. Then, if you want digital restoration work, I charge an extra $30.00’s per hour.

Your basic cost to start is $40.00

The next part is based on the size of the tintype, for this process, it’s based upon my listed base prices, for example, let us say you want a 5×7 sized tintype, I charge $60.00.

Tintype Prices

To expose the tintype, this is done in my darkroom, which is a flat fee of $50.00’s an hour, with a minimum of 1 hour time.

Here’s the cost to you:

$40.00 (scans & prints)
$60.00 (5×7 tintype)
$50.00 (darkroom)
$5.00 (basic shipping & handling)
$0.00 (taxes)
________________
$155.00

So, yes I can effectively do a copy photo of your photo, with the price variances based upon the tintype size, darkroom time & digital touchup work along with extra shipping. The basic estimated price needs to be paid upfront.