Rodriguez Revives 19th-Century Tintype Photography in Ely

Recently, the Ely Folk School hosted a unique pop-up studio session, featuring artist Carla Alexandra Rodriguez ‘11 and her revival of tintype photography. Rodriguez, a St. Paul-based artist, brought this vintage wet-plate technique to life, capturing timeless portraits with a process that dates back to the 1850s.

Tintype photography, a method that involves coating a metal plate with a silver halide solution and exposing it to light, creates portraits with a unique and enduring quality. Rodriguez, who fell in love with this technique while studying at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, has spent over a decade perfecting her craft. Her dedication is evident in her hands-on approach, which blends elements of drawing and painting with traditional photography.

Rodriguez’s studio, BLKK Hand, named for the silver nitrate stains on her hands, reflects her commitment to this artisanal process. She travels with her large format tintype camera, continuing the tradition of early photographers who brought their studios to various towns.

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• The old-fashioned way
  (timberjay.com—August 1, 2024)