Frequently Asked Questions

My booking calendar opens 90 days out. As a single parent, I schedule sessions around my child's schedule — plus dedicated time for pre-production (chemistry prep, darkroom cleaning) and post-production (scanning, varnishing, shipping) on every tintype. If you have a date in mind, book early!

Rescheduling is allowed with at least 24 hours' notice — you'll find a reschedule link in your booking confirmation email. You can cancel at any time, but deposits are non-refundable. All bookings are made through the Pricing page.

Yes! Gift certificates are available for purchase on my website and can be mailed directly.

Cash, Venmo, and credit/debit card.

I offer two kinds of sessions:

Private Studio Sessions — Longer, more creative control to curate, stage, light, and compose a scene. Plan for one hour or more. Sometimes we'll need to shoot a test plate first.

Open Studio Days & Pop-ups — Discounted rate, 10–20 minute sessions. Lighting and poses are more limited due to time — these days involve making 30–60 tintypes, so please arrive on time!

Every tintype is made by hand and takes about 10 minutes to shoot and develop, start to finish. Your session will involve a quick chat about the portrait we're making, posing (I'll direct you), a brief intense flash for the exposure, and then a trip to the darkroom to watch your tintype develop right in front of you. Ask as many questions and take as many photos/videos as you'd like!

Private studio sessions have a 3-tintype minimum. Setting up the plate, camera, and darkroom process takes real time regardless of how many tintypes we make, so the minimum makes that time worthwhile. If a single portrait is what you're after, keep an eye out for Open Studio Days, which occasionally offer a Single Tintype option.

Absolutely! Just keep in mind a single portrait can fit up to 4 total — people and pets combined.

• Glasses often photograph as sunglasses — contacts can tint your eyes a darker shade, wear at your discretion.
• Avoid large lettering/graphics on clothing — the image is mirrored and text can be distracting.
• All-black or all-white won't show up well on their own, but look great used sparingly.
• Chunky textures and patterns work well since much of the frame will be out of focus.
• Necklines are a nice detail to build around — layered or flowy fabric is a good option.
• Most importantly: dress how you want to represent yourself in the image.

• Avoid foundation — it can appear much lighter than your actual skin tone on tintype.
• Hats are welcome — we can work with any size or style.
• Less is more with jewelry and makeup — think of the look as a whole, not itemized pieces.
• Too much hair around the face/neck can cast dark, high-contrast shadows.
• Updos are my personal favorite and photograph beautifully on tintype.
• Hair & makeup artists can be arranged for longer sessions — message me for stylist recommendations and pricing.

• You'll need to hold still for a few moments, so favor stable poses over dynamic ones.
• Know your angles — which side of your face, and from what height, do you prefer?
• Think about the character or identity you want to portray.
• It's usually an upper-body portrait, so don't stress about shoes or pants.
• Hands can be fun, but hand-modeling is harder than it looks.
• Most importantly: be deliberate about your expression. Gaze into the lens (or wherever you choose to look) and hold it. Smiles are nice but can look strained if held too long.

My studio is at THE GALA, 412 S 700 W #120, SLC UT 84104. Use GPS — it's tucked between the interstate and the train tracks, and routes can be quirky. Park in the gravel lot behind the building near the patio and big windows. Enter through the grey door with the big “G” (GALA), then head to the back of the space to the window marked “TINTYPE PORTRAITS.”

Every tintype has to be varnished for archival preservation, which usually takes about 2 weeks. Once it's ready, I'll ship it directly to you — no need to arrange pickup.

International shipping is also available — just email me to arrange.

Tintypes use a black metal base for dark tones and pure silver for bright/mid tones — without enough light, they can look dim, so display yours somewhere bright. Track lighting aimed and focused above the piece is ideal.

Framing notes:

• Don't let the tintype touch glass directly.
• A shadow box looks best.
• A thick mat in a mid-to-dark tone (grey, forest green, deep red are my favorites) really punctuates the image — avoid anything brighter than the tintype itself.
• I'm working on sourcing custom frames designed specifically for tintypes, hoping to have them for sale later this year.

Tintypes are notoriously hard to photograph well due to their metallic, reflective surface — I scan each one before varnishing for the best possible quality.

Ultra High Resolution (highly recommended) — thoroughly dust-removed and edited, optimized for large prints and archival. Includes a 100MP TIFF scan, a social-optimized JPG/PNG, a darkroom development video, and any behind-the-scenes footage from your session.

Standard Resolution — Optimized for phone/tablet viewing, light dust removal only, will not print well at any size. Includes a social-optimized JPG/PNG and the darkroom development video.

Files are emailed within 2–3 weeks. I've also digitally archived most past sessions — email me if you'd like files from a previous shoot.

Tintype is a historic, handmade medium and inherently a little unpredictable — I do my best to get a great shot in the time we have. Ruined images are reshot for free; all other reshoots are available at half price.

Digital files are licensed for personal use only. Email me for commercial licensing authorization and pricing.