A person in dark clothing and a hat is preparing food behind a counter illuminated by a red light.

TINTYPE STUDIO

Considered by many to be the Polaroid of the 19th century, the tintype is made almost instantaneously through a process that uses hand poured chemicals on an enameled sheet of metal. Tintypes, often found today in near original condition, were passed down as family heirlooms and valued for their time-tested archival stability.

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Black and white photo of a man wearing a flat cap, sunglasses, a dark shirt, and an apron, looking at his hand. Julian Buitrago, tintype photographer
Two framed black-and-white portraits of a smiling man and woman, with the larger photo showing them closely together and the smaller photo featuring them smiling at each other.

Tintype Gallery

Woman with long blonde hair wearing a beige baseball cap that says "BARTH IS SAINT" and holding a black-and-white portrait photograph of herself with long hair, bare shoulders, and nipple covers. Tintype photography Studio darkroom
A black and white portrait of a man with a beard, wearing glasses, a hat, and a light-colored shirt, encased in an ice block with some condensation on the surface. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A black and white portrait of a man with a beard and short hair, inside a red plastic frame or holder. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Man with a beard sitting on a stool during a video shoot, surrounded by studio lighting and equipment, in an indoor studio setting. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Photograph of a man sitting on a stool in front of a camera, with a large camera filter and a grid on the camera lens. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A man with a beige shirt standing inside a large camera that has a red body and a glass window on top. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A man operating a vintage large camera on a tripod, wearing a gray apron, white t-shirt, gray cap, glasses, and blue gloves, with dark curtains and equipment in the background. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Two men in aprons working at a table with various bottles and tools, illuminated by red light. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Two men working with scientific equipment in a dimly lit room illuminated by red light. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Two men with hats and glasses are leaning over, engaged in a discussion or activity, in a room with red lighting. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom A person wearing a white t-shirt, apron, and gloves is handling a photograph or film under red lighting in a dark room, possibly a photo or film developing area.
A person in a gray cap and apron, wearing glasses and blue gloves, adjusting a vintage large format camera on a tripod in a dimly lit room with red lighting on the wall behind a shelf.
Two people wearing glasses working at a table in a dark room illuminated by red light. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A photographer takes a picture of a man sitting in a studio, reflected in a red and black mirrorless camera. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Two male chefs stand in a dark kitchen illuminated by red light, focusing on preparing food at a counter. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Photographer adjusting a large format camera with a red-lit background. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Two scientists working in a laboratory illuminated by red light, handling glassware and scientific instruments. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A black bottle labeled 'Collodion No. Z' with additional text 'UV Photographic' and 'Premium Salted Collodion' rests on a surface with other glass bottles and photographs in the background. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Black and white photo of a woman with long hair, looking to the side with a serious expression. She is wearing a necklace with a cross pendant and has her nipples covered with black tape. The photo has burn marks and damage around the edges. Tintype
A woman with long hair holds a wooden cross decorated with various symbolic objects close to her lips, as if about to kiss it. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Two black and white photographs of an African American woman with curly hair, displayed on a white surface against a dark background. The larger photo shows her smiling with a strapless dress, the smaller photo shows her with a serious expression, we
Black and white photograph of a smiling man and woman. The man is bald, wearing a patterned shirt, and the woman has long hair, with a joyful expression. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A black and white photograph of a man with curly hair and glasses, and a woman with straight hair, both smiling. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Black and white portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing a top with thin straps, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Black and white portrait of a woman with long hair, smiling, wearing a sleeveless top and a necklace. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Black and white portrait of a man with short dark hair, slight beard, wearing a checkered button-up shirt, smiling slightly, with a plain background. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A black and white portrait of a man with a beard, short hair, and a serious expression, wearing a textured t-shirt. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
Black-and-white photo of a man with white hair and beard, wearing a button-up shirt, holding a vintage camera, looking down thoughtfully. Tintype Portrait photography Studio darkroom
A topless woman with angel wings wearing a baseball cap, standing with hands pressed together in a prayer pose.
Black and white photograph of a smiling man with sunglasses on his head, wearing a dark t-shirt, sitting with arms crossed, in a casual setting.
Black and white portrait of a shirtless man with a beard and styled hair, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression.
Black and white photo of a smiling woman with wavy hair, wearing a button-up shirt over a textured top, against a plain background.
Black and white photograph of a shirtless man wearing a racing helmet with checkered pattern on the sides, making a grimace expression, and tattoos on his chest and arms, including a bird and lighthouse. The background appears dark and the image has
Black-and-white portrait of a man wearing a flat cap, with a beard, looking slightly to the right.
Two vintage black-and-white photographs of a pregnant woman, one solo and one with a partner, displayed on wooden stands against a dark background.
A black-and-white photo of a man and a woman smiling together, with the woman's hand resting on the man's chest. The woman has long hair and is wearing a sleeveless top, while the man has short hair and is wearing a patterned button-up shirt.

Every tintype portrait session with Julian Buitrago begins with a personalized consultation to bring your vision to life. Using the historic wet-plate collodion process, each image is handcrafted on a metal plate, prepared moments before capture. The result is a truly unique, one-of-a-kind portrait with timeless character and rich detail. No two plates are alike—each tintype is an irreplaceable work of art, developed and revealed on the spot to create a lasting keepsake.

  • If you want a portrait of yourself, then show up as your most authentic self ~ Simply try to be comfortable.

    Many people like to take the opportunity of a private portrait session to dress up and have some fun with it. I welcome creative visions and less-than-typical self portrayals in the studio. I always encourage people to wear what feels comfortable to them. On a technical note, warmer colors like red and orange do come out very dark or even black, and blue tones are much brighter. I find that texture and patterns tend to render very nicely (lace, fur, stripes, etc.) I normally recommend AGAINST wearing all black as black fabric often doesn’t show and you will end up looking like a floating head. No matter what you decide to wear, your portrait will come out great so long as you’re comfortable.

  • After your session is finished, it usually takes 2 days to process the images. Once the tintypes are ready, you will be contacted and your tintype will be available for pickup in the studio. You will also receive a high resolution digital image of your tintype. On rare occasions processing can take much longer than 48 hours due to travel plans or unavailability. If you have a strict deadline, please let me know while you schedule the appointment.

  • Yes. I am open to setup my tintype photo booth at any number of events - weddings, parties, employee appreciation celebrations, birthdays, markets, music festivals, etc. The details are best worked out over the phone. Please contact me to setup a time to chat.

  • Our Tintype Studio is located in 8325 NE 2nd Ave Miami. FL 33138.

    If you want us to go to your location, please contact us to discuss the travel and setup fee and logistics

Book an appointment.

A deposit is required to schedule your appointment. The remaining payment is expected in full at the end of your appointment.

Your deposit can only be refunded if you cancel your appointment 24 hours before its scheduled time. Otherwise the deposit will go toward the total cost of the session.