Wet Plate Collodion Portraits by The Silverbath — Handmade.
One of a kind.
Forever.
History, chemistry, and imagery — made in front of you in under ten minutes. Pure silver. Archival. Forever portraits built to outlast every screen you own.
Made in
minutes.
Lasts forever.
Wet plate collodion is a 170-year-old photographic process, and it's still one of the most beautiful things a camera can produce. Each image is prepared, exposed, and developed by hand in under ten minutes. What you get isn't a print, it's the original. One of a kind. Yours.
"There's no undo button.
That's the whole point."
Liquid collodion — a viscous, flammable syrup — is poured across a glass or metal plate and tilted to create an even film. It sets in seconds.
The tacky plate is dipped into silver nitrate solution, making it light-sensitive. A chemical clock starts — you have about 10 minutes.
The wet plate is loaded into the camera while still damp. A long exposure — sometimes several seconds — captures light into the silver halide layer.
Developer poured over the plate reveals the image almost instantly — silver particles rushing to the surface in real time. It looks like magic. Because it is.
A fixer clears the unexposed silver. The plate is rinsed, dried, and sealed with a protective varnish. Your portrait is now a permanent artifact.
Every plate is the original.
These are not prints. Each image shown is the actual plate — unique, irreproducible, and yours to take home.
Selected collaborators & venues
About the Photographer
"It's history, chemistry, and the imagery all combined — the image layer is pure silver. It's not going anywhere."
Chris Morgan's journey into wet plate collodion began in 1999, driven by a deep interest in Civil War history and a realization that every photograph from that era was made with this exact process. In 2001, he went all in — tracking down equipment, chemistry, and original 19th-century manuscripts, visiting museums and libraries to master what he'd found.
Since his first event in February 2002, Chris has brought tintype photography to up to 30 events a year: living history exhibitions, college campuses, reenactments, state fairs, and markets across the country. Two years ago, he and his family sold their home and hit the road full-time in an RV, taking the craft to new audiences everywhere they go.
About 90% of his work is portraiture — but he also photographs historic sites like Bentonville Battlefield and scenic landscapes. Every plate leaves with the person in front of the lens. "I shoot more than I show and I own very little of what I have shot over the years," he says. "The work is what is important to me."
Where to find the darkroom
A rolling calendar of workshops, markets, fairs, and private sittings. Walk-ins welcome where noted — first come, first photographed.
Ways to sit for a plate
Sessions run 20–40 minutes per plate. A deposit secures your spot and is applied toward your session total. Walk-ins welcome at popup events — first come, first photographed.
Let's make
something real.
For commissions, private sessions, and events, fill in the form. For everything else, email works best — and you can always follow the work on social.