Tif Hunter took these tintypes for our new Men's Book at his studio in Bermondsey using a very large, handmade, mahogany and brass camera. Tintype photography is a very early technique developed in the 1860s, used through the 1870s and, diminishingly, on into the early 20th century.
Left image: Indigo Twill Jacket - £245. Right image: Erika wears - Fisherman's Sweater £149, Cotton Twill Chin0£95 & Salt-Water Sandals£55. David wears - Fisherman's Sweater £149, Arizona Birkenstock & Ecru Denim Jeans.
We like the technique for its beauty the creamy, emulsified tones that are somehow more redolent of oil painting than of pixelated digital images. We like it for its process the preparation of each plate in the darkroom, the plate brought to the studio, its careful exposure, the return to the darkroom and finally the image's emergence in a tray of developing fluid. It's a calm, meditative process: a combination of precisely considered action, concentration and stillness at an unhurried pace. And we like it for its still innocent sense of magic the simple capturing of a unique moment on a metal plate coated with light sensitive chemicals.
[caption align="alignnone" width="794"] Tintype process[/caption]
Tif took portraits of four subjects three men and one woman, all dressed in our men's clothes. We liked the sense of variety in our choice of subjects, we liked the sense of androgyny, masculine and feminine intermingling harmoniously and we very much liked the the four people too. Thanks to them, thanks to Tif and his team and we hope you like what we've done: pictures, book and clothes.
Left image: Indigo Loopback Sweatshirt £89 Right image:Jardine Shoe £249
Photography by Tif Hunter / Words by Jamie Seaton
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