One of the interesting things I find about this tintype business is that all your images are reversed so that if you have some writing in the photo, it will appear backwards. This is true of all the images; so when I look at a street scene I shot, everything is in reverse.
I'm trying this project out on people as well. Because of the low ISO of the emulsion (how sensitive it is to light), I have to keep the shutter open longer than is normally possible for a crisp, focused image. It's hard not to shake a bit, or the subject will move just a little. But with this first portrait attempt, I'm realizing what I need to do to make it a stronger image: first is to put the camera back on the tripod, and second I need to expose the image just a little longer. When this tintype process, the longer the plate is exposed to light, the lighter the image becomes, which is completely reversed from normal darkroom work.
But I'm liking the ethereal quality of the image as a first try. I will be working with more people, I can tell.
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