Sheena Dorton
Coping Mechanism Phase 1, 2019
Colorized Print Wetplate Collodion Portrait
25.5 x 18 "
Tintype portraits fascinate me. I sought to create something that not only captures the raw and unfiltered personality of my subjects, but I also wanted to create an object physically...
Tintype portraits fascinate me. I sought to create something that not only captures the raw and unfiltered personality of my subjects, but I also wanted to create an object physically tangible and memorable. In a sea of digital photographers, I chose to go back in time to explore the ways of the “black arts,” as past tintype photographers were marked by black stains on their hands from the accidental introduction of silver nitrate. Curious to the novelty of this bygone process, I read all the material I could while talking to others in the field of wetplate, hoping to gain a glimpse and the know-how to pursue this on my own. Eventually, I purchased a large format camera made of glass, leather and wood, and began learning what would become a peculiar pastime. Being a self-taught tintype photographer, I pour all of my knowledge into the heart of my portraits. Shooting with a camera from 1914 and a lens from 1885, I aim to capture something truly timeless through silver and light.