(click ’em to big ’em)
The May MKE Creatives was particularly interesting to me, as it featured a talk with two Milwaukee photographer-artists – Eileen and Margaret, of Gun Cotton Tintypes. These two women have recently ventured into photography, but not as many others do – with film cameras or digital SLRS, but with large-format cameras and vintage chemical processes!
Eileen and Margaret have been friends for over five years, and regularly talked about starting a business together. One day they came across an article about tintypes that suggested “anyone could learn how to do it,” and it really caught their curiosity. As Eileen said, “Margaret and I love all things old…we couldn’t resist it!”
The funny thing though, is that the article that got them thinking about tintypes was forty years old itself! The artist featured in the story no longer did tintypes, the women learned, but they >did< find another woman who was currently doing the process. So, Eileen and Margaret packed their bags and flew out to Brooklyn, NY for a two-day workshop wth the woman, to learn the tintype process.
“9 months ago, neither of us had been into photography or chemistry before…” indicates what a learning curve Eileen and Margaret have been going through. What is pretty cool to me, is that this means they haven’t had any preconceived notions about what they should be doing either. So, this is all new and fresh to them. They are still learning how to make the best exposures and how to light properly – as was said, “We’re still learning, and every image is a unique one.”
They’ve found Milwaukee, and Bay View – where their studio is – to be very supportive so far. The combination of the slowness of the process, with the “metal photo” outcome is something that is really appealing to the people who visit their studio – “people are looking for something to hold onto – and you can see their vulnerability – they have to relax and they have to give it up (when we make their photo).”
Besides working in the studio, they have been taking their process on the road, too. They worked the Mama Tried motorcycle show, doing around 100 portraits in one day! For that fete, they mentioned having had a lot of family helping the workflow to go smoothly. They have been hired to do band photos, visit festivals, and even make portraits at a wedding!
I was curious, given their “newness” to photography, as young women in a field that’s predominantly men, what sort of issues they’ve encountered. They said, “We learned how to tintype from a woman, who learned it from a woman…and all the people in our workshop were women. We do get guys mansplaining at us pretty regularly – especially as soon as we say we’re new to this. Guys constantly want to start giving us advice, telling us how to do it…”
Guys, GUYS – DON’T DO THAT. If they want your help, they’ll ask you.
Find out more about Gun Cotton Tintype HERE.
Read about other MKE Creatives meet-ups HERE.
