Whatever they choose, this is what they leave with: one plate, made while they watch.
Give something that took two hundred years to invent
A tintype is a photograph made from pure silver on a black metal plate, by hand, in about fifteen minutes. They sit for one, and they watch it appear in the developing tray — the only photograph they will ever own that they saw arrive.
Gift certificates from $410.
What they actually get
A sitting
An hour and a half to three hours at THE GALA, depending on how many plates. Brett explains the chemistry, and they watch each plate get poured, exposed and developed.
The plate
A one-of-a-kind tintype on metal — there is no negative, so it can never be reprinted.
The finishing
Each plate is scanned, then varnished for archival preservation — so the plates are not handed over on the day. A week or two later they arrive in their post, tracked, with an email to say they are on the way. Nothing to collect and nothing to arrange.
The choosing
The certificate covers the session and the plate count you pick. They choose their own date, and on the day they can take some plates smaller if they want. Scans and extra plates are available then, paid for separately.