Notes from this one
The first time doing anything in film photography is a mess, and tintypes especially. These plates are more forgiving than wet plate collodion, which is why I started here — but there’s still a lot of ways to get it wrong.
What worked
Exposure was roughly in the ballpark on the third try. The first two were wildly overexposed because I forgot how much the plates behave differently to modern film speeds.
What didn’t
Focus. Loading. Finger marks on the plate. Dust. The usual.
Kit used
4x5 field camera, 150mm lens, Zebra Dry Plate tintypes. That’s it.
If you’re thinking of trying
Don’t start at a workshop — start at home, in good light, with cheap plates. Once you’re getting repeatable results, then spend the money on proper plates and a proper location.