TINTYPE PHOTOGRAPHER
>> A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR "ESQUIRE" MAGAZINE USED A VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE RECENTLY, ONE THAT PRODUCED STUNNING IMAGES OF SOME FAMILIAR FACES. THE METHOD IS CALLED WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY, AND IT DATES TO THE LATE 1800s.
>> PROBABLY SET UP OVER HERE WHERE WE CAN HAVE THE TREE IN THE BACKGROUND KIND OF FRAMING EVERYTHING OUT. PICK UP A LITTLE BIT --
>> THERE'S A PHOTOGRAPHER IN NORTH CAROLINA WHO HAS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THAT VERY SAME TECHNIQUE. HE'S USING IT TO DOCUMENT SOME OF THE PEOPLE AND PLACES IN OUR STATE IN AN OLD YET NEW WAY. CHRIS MORGAN USES A CAMERA IDENTICAL TO THE TYPE USED IN THE CIVIL WAR ERA. HIS METHOD IS ABOUT AS FAR AS YOU CAN GET FROM TODAY'S CELL PHONE CAMERAS, INSTAGRAM, AND SNAPCHAT. HE DOESN'T TAKE ANY SHORTCUTS. HE DOES THINGS EXACTLY LIKE PHOTOGRAPHERS DID A CENTURY AGO.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD DO NATURALLY, SO PROBABLY. OKAY, JOSH, I'M GONNA DOUBLE- CHECK FOCUS.
>> THE SUBJECT OF THE PHOTO HAS TO PLAY ALONG AND BE READY TO SIT STILL.
>> IF YOU WILL STAY THERE, DON'T MOVE, I'M GONNA GO TO THE DARKROOM, GRAB A PLATE.
>> CHRIS MORGAN ACTUALLY BRINGS A DARKROOM RIGHT INTO THE FIELD WITH HIM BECAUSE, JUST LIKE IN DAYS GONE BY, HE ACTUALLY HAS TO MAKE THE FILM HIMSELF ONE PLATE AT A TIME. HE TREATS METAL OR GLASS WITH CHEMICALS.
>> I'M GOING TO BE COATING THE PLATE WITH AN EMULSION CALLED COLLODION.
>> MORGAN NEEDS TO BE PRECISE WITH HIS MEASUREMENTS, AND HE NEEDS TO BE PATIENT.
>> I CHECK IT TO SEE THAT IT IS SET OR IT'S KIND OF STICKY. AND IT IS. AND THEN IT GOES INTO A SILVER NITRATE BATH. AND SILVER NITRATE REACTS WITH THE EMULSION, BECOMES LIGHT SENSITIVE, AND THAT WILL BE OUR FILM. ALL RIGHT. RIGHT HERE. REAL QUICK. HOLD STILL. OKAY. YOU CAN RELAX. ALL RIGHT. ONCE BACK IN THE DARKROOM, I'VE REMOVED THE PLATE FROM THE PLATE HOLDER. I'M GOING TO COAT THE PLATE WITH DEVELOPER.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF STEPS IN THE PROCESS, AND THERE'S MANY WAYS THAT AN IMAGE CAN BE RUINED.
>> YOU CAN START TO SEE THE IMAGE COME UP. JUST A LITTLE MORE. WAITING FOR THE MIDTONES JUST A HAIR. KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A NEGATIVE. THEN WE POUR THE EXCESS DEVELOPER OFF. > > CHRIS MORGAN'S TALENT IS THAT HE HAS THE SKILL OF A SCIENTIST WITH THE EYE OF AN ARTIST.
>> HUH!
>> THAT IS SO COOL.
>> HAVING A TINTYPE SHOW UP ON INSTAGRAM, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LIKE WHAT IS THAT? HOW DID YOU DO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND EVEN WHAT APP WAS THAT? AND IT'S NOT AN APP. IT'S REAL. >> MORGAN HAS BEEN SHOOTING PHOTOGRAPHS FOR A LONG TIME. NOW THAT HE'S DISCOVERED WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY, HE SPECIALIZES IN IT.
>> I DID PROM PORTRAITS FOR A GIRL. SHE WANTED TINTYPE PROM PORTRAITS. I DO A LOT OF BRIDAL WORK. ENGAGEMENT PORTRAITS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT -- THAT I'VE GOTTEN THE MOST, I GUESS, CONTACT OUT OF IS SOLDIER PORTRAITS, SHOOTING MODERN MILITARY GUYS ON TINTYPE USING THE WET PLATE PROCESS LIKE WAS DONE DURING THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD. ONE OF THE PROJECTS I DID WAS A WIFE DID A SERIES OF PORTRAITS FOR HER HUSBAND THAT WAS LEAVING FOR DEPLOYMENT. SO I DID PORTRAITS OF THEM TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, WITH WEAPONS, WITHOUT, AND THAT WAS AN EXPERIENCE SHE WANTED HIM TO HAVE. AND THOSE ARE PERMANENT IMAGES THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S DOING WELL. HE'S SAFE, BUT THAT'S A PERMANENT EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.
>> HE ALSO TAKES PHOTOS OF CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTORS. HE'S GOTTEN SO GOOD AT IT THAT SOME OPPORTUNISTS HAVE ACTUALLY TRIED TO PASS HIS WORK OFF AS ORIGINAL AND SELL THEM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
>> I'VE HAD A COUPLE IMAGES SHOW UP ON eBAY AS ORIGINALS WHERE PEOPLE WOULD PUT THEM IN ORIGINAL CASES AND, YOU KNOW, EITHER FIND DOCUMENTATION THAT MATCHED OR CREATE THEIR OWN DOCUMENTATION OF -- OF A CERTAIN PERSON THAT MAY HAVE FOUGHT IN A CIVIL WAR, YOU KNOW, BATTLE SOMEWHERE. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HAVE THIS IMAGE THAT SHOWS UP ON eBAY THAT'S IN REMARKABLE GOOD SHAPE, AND THEY FETCH A LOT OF MONEY. I'M THINKING WE'RE GOING TO BE ABOUT A FIVE-SECOND EXPOSURE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> SO WE'LL HAVE YOU ON THIS SIDE OF THE CHAIR HERE.
>> I'VE GOT QUITE A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE WITH CHRIS. HE'S DONE -- I THINK BETWEEN MY WIFE AND I, WE HAVE ABOUT 20 PLATES OF HIS THAT HE'S DONE FOR US.
>> OKAY. IF YOU'LL CONTINUE HOLDING STILL.
>> THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY FANTASTIC ABOUT THE LONGEVITY OF HAVING AN IMAGE LIKE THAT.
>> OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE EXPOSURE. IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT THREE TO FIVE SECONDS. JUST HOLD STILL UNTIL I TELL YOU TO RELAX.
>> WHEREAS A PAPER IMAGE IS GOING TO FADE --
>> ONE, TWO, THREE.
>> -- IT'S REALLY COOL TO HAVE THAT ETERNAL IMAGE, IF YOU WILL, OF, UM -- OF A TINTYPE OR A GLASS PLATE, UNLESS LIKE MY WIFE YOU ACCIDENTALLY SLAM IT IN A CAR DOOR.
>> THE COMMITMENT CHRIS MORGAN HAS TO THE HISTORY OF HIS CRAFT, THE WAY HE TAKES NO SHORTCUTS IN THE PROCESS, IT'S EXTRAORDINARY. HE'LL SPEND AN ENTIRE AFTERNOON WITH SOMEONE JUST TO GET A FEW IMAGES. BUT THE RESULTS, THEY'RE WORTH IT.
>> FOR ME, IT SOUNDS KIND OF CORNY. FOR ME, IT IS A LIFELONG PROCESS FOR ME. EVERY TIME I DO THIS, IT'S AN HONOR TO DO IT FOR ME. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT WHEN I GIVE AN IMAGE TO SOMEONE, IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND 150 YEARS FROM NOW.