Ambrotype or Tintype? Two Media for Recording Memories

Wet plate photography is a photographic technique that emerged in the mid-19th century, where images are captured directly onto glass (ambrotypes) or metal (tintypes). Unlike modern photography, it doesn't involve printing onto paper―instead, the image becomes part of the material itself. The final look and feel of the photograph change noticeably depending on whether glass or metal is used. In this article, we’ll introduce the distinctive qualities and appearances of the two most well-known formats: ambrotypes and tintypes.

Ambrotypes – Images Behind Glass

Ambrotypes are created by coating a glass plate with collodion, sensitizing it in a silver nitrate solution, then exposing and developing it while still wet. The resulting image is technically a negative, but when placed against a dark background―such as black velvet or paint―it appears as a positive. Ambrotypes aren’t special positive images, but rather “glass negatives that look positive depending on how you view them.” It’s the same effect you see when an underexposed film negative looks positive when laid over a black surface.

The name “ambrotype” comes from the Greek ambrotos (immortal) and type (impression or mold), referring to the permanence of glass and the idea of preserving a moment in time.

Because glass is transparent and has depth, the appearance of an ambrotype shifts subtly depending on how the light hits it and the angle from which it's viewed. There’s a quiet beauty to it―one that can make it feel as though time itself has been gently sealed inside.

Glass is a beautiful but fragile material.

When you look at an ambrotype, that fragility often echoes the delicate nature of human relationships. It has a quiet presence that makes you want to protect it―perhaps precisely because it feels so easily lost.

Tintypes – Rugged, Lightweight, Fleeting

Like ambrotypes, tintypes use the wet plate process, but the image is captured on a metal plate that has been painted black (a technique known as "japanning"). Historically, steel was used, while modern tintypes are often made on aluminum. Japanning was developed in Europe to imitate the look of Japanese lacquerware, giving tintypes a unique cross-cultural history that blends 19th-century technology with Eastern aesthetics.

Despite being made of steel, the term “tintype” stuck, as tin was widely known at the time as an inexpensive, familiar material. Early on, these images were also called "ferrotypes," a reference to the iron plates used.

Tintypes became popular in the U.S. but were not widely adopted in Japan. Still, rare portraits of samurai like Katsu Kaishū, taken during diplomatic missions, remain as valuable historical records.

Unlike ambrotypes, tintypes produce a direct positive image thanks to their black base. The image becomes visible right after development, which made them hugely popular in 19th-century America as quick keepsakes. They were often taken at street-side studios or in traveling photo wagons, serving a role similar to today’s instant or ID photos.

The smooth surface gives them a rugged yet light feel, with a certain improvisational charm. When displayed on a wooden stand, their presence as "objects" stands out.

The Material Tells the Story

Though the base materials differ, the process for making ambrotypes and tintypes is essentially the same. Neither is inherently more detailed or higher in contrast. Both rely on collodion to create a photosensitive surface, use silver nitrate to develop the image, and leave behind silver particles that form the photograph directly on the plate. So the textures and tonal expressions―the way shadows and skin appear, for example―are not dramatically different between the two. In the reel below, you can see the ambrotype process in the first half and the tintype process in the second half.

That said, when you actually hold them, ambrotypes and tintypes feel like entirely different things.

An ambrotype carries the weight and cool smoothness of glass, letting light pass through and offering a calm, contemplative presence. A tintype, in contrast, is thin and lightweight―something you could imagine slipping into your pocket.

Even though the image is born from the same chemistry, the photograph becomes something quite different depending on what it’s made on. Wet plate photography reminds us that the materials we use shape not only how we see an image, but also how we remember it.

• About the technique of wet plate photography → What is wet plate photography?

• Learn More About Wet Plate → 湿板Journal(blog)

• See the actual work → Gallery

• Want to try photography or experience it? → Fees/Workshops