Asheville Area Tintype Photographers – Maddie + Tyler Kay. Historic wet plate collodion is one of the first methods used to create a photograph.
We capture your tintype out of our barn studio located 30 minutes north of Asheville in Burnsville, NC.
A tintype is an heirloom: a unique timeless metal keepsake. Come experience the magic of a photograph created straight out of 1850s.
Studio tintypes are $220 for (1) 8×10 photo or $120 for (1) 4×5 photo. Each photo takes roughly 30 minutes to complete.
Wedding tintype photography done on location are $1000 and include one 8×10 and two 4×5 tintype images.
Events are $2000 and include up to 5 tintypes an hour. Upgrade to include frames for $2500.
We run our tintype studio out of our barn in Burnsville, NC. Just a 30 minute drive north from Asheville, NC.
Tintypes use UV light which is a different spectrum than film/digital black and white photography. Red will appear black and blue will appear white. I recommend clothes with texture and character. Steer clear of words and text on clothing as the final image is a mirror image (words will be inverted).
Yes! If you are able to stay after your image is taken you can expect to leave with a finished product. It takes 30 minutes AFTER your image is captured to hand you the finished product. We have animals on the farm to see or relax around the property. You can opt for shipping the tintype to your home if you are unable to stay the full 30 minutes. This adds a $20 shipping fee.
Reach out with some date/times your available and we will happily get you on the books.
Tyler and Maddie shoot with a Deardorff 8×10 and Toyo 8×10 tintype camera depending on the size needed. These beautiful old large format cameras have stood the test of time.
Tintype Portraits are not for everyone. I would recommend keeping an open mind. The final product captures UV light and that can make yourself appear differently. We are happy to shoot another plate if the first one has a major flaw (blinking or chemistry flaws).
Yes, we do events! Wedding receptions, family reunions or corporate events. We do need access to electricity and running water. Contact us for a proposal plan with your event.
Our farm lies in the Burnsville mountains. Once an old horse farm, we converted it to host our 40+ animals and now our new tintype studio in the red barn.
Tyler + Maddie Kay have been wedding photographers for 5+ years in Asheville. They embarked on offering tintype photography. Delivering one amazing photo (instead of hundreds). This is a physical image, an ancient way to produce a metal photo you take home.
“ This was absolutely mesmerizing. Watching our image appear was magical. I have been wanting a tintype done for the longest time. “
