Tintype cow...

There are times when pulling out a camera and going off to shoot something just does not appeal, but that's not to say you can't have moments of creativity. During the past few weeks I have started to develop an interest in Photoshop for the sake of it; delving deeper into the possibilities of this very powerful software, instead of merely scratching the surface like I do with some basic adjustments after the shutter has been fired.

There are numerous tutorials on the interweb for the truly adventurous out there, but for the time being I'm still concentrating on actual photographs rather than creating something from scratch. I have always, since my first steps into the wet darkroom, been interested in toning techniques; once I had learned to print the toning followed soon afterwards. At that time I was avidly reading about, in photo magazines of the day, old processes from much earlier in the history of photography, although I never summoned up the courage for coating my own papers and mixing my own developing brews. It's time I tried my hand at some of this, with the added advantage on not having to get involved with all the nasty chemicals that were necessary for making the originals.

One such technique for making photographs was Tintype, where a direct positive was produced onto an iron plate (tin itself was not part of the process), and finished pictures could be made in just a few minutes after being taken. Exposures were long and subject movement was almost inevitable. This added to the charm of such images, and although subtle, some movement has been applied here.

The photograph of a Highland cow - taken on Oare Marshes, Kent, last December - proved to be an ideal subject to try the effect; the ageing treatment applied using editing software. Oh, yes... that, and a little help from a concrete wall!



12-24mm f/4D AF-S Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/4.  + 0.67 EV Compensation. ISO 200. Adobe Photoshop.


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