J. Burns Tintypes

Every once in a while I take a tintype portrait that perfectly captures the kind of look I'm going for. This is one of those portraits. The pose, the outfit, the lighting, and the overall vibe of this photo is perfection to me. And I don't say that to pat myself on the back... in my experience, getting a great tintype portrait is at least as much luck as it is skill. No matter how hard you try to be consistent with your process, the imperfect and unpredictable nature of the chemistry and a hundred other variables means you can NEVER know exactly how your photo is going to turn out. But that's what I love about it...

This is one of my earliest tintypes from around 6 years ago. When I first started out, I was constantly bugging all of my friends to take their pictures for practice 😆. This is my friend Jesse, who just has one of those "looks" that always makes for great tintype portraits. He's a blacksmith in his free time, making knifes by hand. I love talking to other makers about their craft, and they usually make for the best tintype subjects!..

Loving the outfits and hats in this portrait!..

Here's an oldie but one of my absolute favorites. I took this tintype of my best friend 5 years ago, a few days before my wedding. He was in town from Australia to be my best man. This photo always triggers a flood of nostalgia for me... it's crazy how much "life" has happened between then and now. We're still just as close, but it sucks when you live on the opposite side of the planet. I don't know if or when it'll be able to happen, but next time he's in the States we'll have to take an updated tintype!..

Love this portrait from my recent pop up photo booth at Black Moth! I get so excited when people wear period-appropriate clothing for their portraits... it really shows the magic of tintypes. You'd never guess this was taken in 2024!..

Did I take this portrait a couple days ago or a hundred years ago?? LOVE how this one turned out! Whenever someone books a portrait, I always recommend wearing clothes that are timeless and that don't immediately make it obvious you're in 2024. These guys nailed it!..

Wow, what a blast it was to shoot tintypes at & David's wedding! It was hot, it was windy, and it was nonstop tintype-taking, but these two and their guests were so pleasant and tons of fun. And the tintype booth was a HIT! So many excited people putting their names down and waiting patiently for their turn. I'm glad we could help make your guys' special day a little more special! Congratulations to you both ❤️👏!..

I feel like every time I do another event, one of the portraits I take there ends up being my new favorite. Everything about this one just turned out 🤌...

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Tomorrow through Sunday I'll have my tintype photo booth at the Vintage Tulsa Show at the Expo! I ONLY have 35 portrait slots available, so message me if you'd like to book a time slot. Otherwise it's first come first served. Looking forward to seeing you there!..