St. Augustine Tintype

A Wedding in Ravine Gardens

St. Augustine Tintype — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:57:23 +0000

Earlier this month, I reunited with a couple I met when I was making Tintypes at the Florida Folk Festival. It was their wedding day and we were about to make a few natural light portraits at Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka.

What a wonderful day for a wedding ceremony. I brought my portable darkroom, wheeling my chemistry, camera, tripod, table, and what-nots down along the spring run to the location chosen for the photograph. a lone spoonbill waded in the wide shallow waters of the lower spring run. Soon, I reached the location and found a spot along the treeline I knew would be well-shaded all morning. This process requires a darkroom, so I set up my table, darkbox and arranged all my containers. I brought out my chemistry–carefully placed my silver bath–and staged my wash trays.

From there, it was a pleasant morning acknowledging the special meaning this space held for the couple, and making my way amongst the bird calls and gently flowing water with my more than 100-year-old camera, watching the light and where it fell.

It was really an honor to make this 8×10 wet-plate photograph on aluminum and to capture the light of their special day, as it reflected in silver with permanence and tangibility.

2026 Studio Update

St. Augustine Tintype — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:10:30 +0000

Wow! What an incredible first year in this space. I am infinitely thankful for all who trusted me with their portraits last year and so excited for 2026.

This year is going to be brilliant and bold and y’all are going to light it up!

Let’s learn together, push boundaries, and harness some silver magic this year.

Endless thanks from your silver-stained photographer.

Happy Holidays!

St. Augustine Tintype — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:00:21 +0000

Might we all have time to breathe deeply, to consider the unhoused, the refugee, and the migrant. Might we start a dialogue of compassion on this shrinking planet. Happy Holidays, my friends.

Thank you for a wonderful year!

Thanks to WJCT’s First Coast Connect

St. Augustine Tintype — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:05:57 +0000

This morning, I had the joy of speaking about making wetplate photographs with Anne Schindler on the WJCT Morning program, First Coast Connect.

It was so much fun to share about making tintypes in some of Florida’s wild places and all that’s involved with Making this process work.

Thank you so much to the station, it’s such an honor to speak on their program.

Check it out!