Instatypes: Make Faux Tintypes at Home

A real tintype on the left; a digital tintype on the right.

Post courtesy of Photojojo’s Lisbeth Ortega For more tips & app suggestions, follow @photojojo on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter at Photojojo.

Tintypes are making a comeback from the 1800s. If you’re new to the term, tintypes are photos shot onto metal plates that have been coated in a light-sensitive emulsion.

While they’re awesome to look at and guaranteed to give your portrait a gritty, old time edge, they’re a little tough to make at home. Until now! Here’s a quickie way to recreate that tintype look on your mobile device:

Shoot your photo. Crop close in to your subject, and shoot the photo. Ask them to not smile to up the intensity of the portrait.
Add tilt-shift. Keep only the person’s face, especially their eyes, in focus and everything else out of focus. We used Instagram’s built-in tilt-shift.
Make it black & white, darken, and add contrast. You can use Instagram’s Inkwell filter to make the image black and white. Then add Lux for contrast.
Add a tinge of warmth. Add the Sierra filter on top of your now black and white photo (learn how to double-filter photos in tip #7 here).
Add a scratched effect. Picfx (iPhone) has lots of scratch effects. We used their “Olden Texture” filter. For Android, try Retro Camera or Little Photo.
Add a border. Tintypes normally have a thin, rough black border. Try Snapseed and Picfx (iPhone) or Vignette (Android).

Interested in making your own tintype? Be sure to tag your image #tintype and we just might feature your photo on the blog!

Photography and The Law: Know Your Rights (Photojojo)

THE TEN LEGAL COMMANDMENTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

I. Anyone in a public place can take pictures of anything they want. Public places include parks, sidewalks, malls, etc. Malls? Yeah. Even though it’s technically private property, being open to the public makes it public space.

II. If you are on public property, you can take pictures of private property. If a building, for example, is visible from the sidewalk, it’s fair game.

III. If you are on private property and are asked not to take pictures, you are obligated to honor that request. This includes posted signs.

IV. Sensitive government buildings (military bases, nuclear facilities) can prohibit photography if it is deemed a threat to national security.

V. People can be photographed if they are in public (without their consent) unless they have secluded themselves and can expect a reasonable degree of privacy. Kids swimming in a fountain? Okay. Somebody entering their PIN at the ATM? Not okay.

VI. The following can almost always be photographed from public places, despite popular opinion:

accident & fire scenes, criminal activities
bridges & other infrastructure, transportation facilities (i.e. airports)
industrial facilities, Superfund sites
public utilities, residential & commercial buildings
children, celebrities, law enforcement officers
UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, Chuck Norris

VII. Although “security” is often given as the reason somebody doesn’t want you to take photos, it’s rarely valid. Taking a photo of a publicly visible subject does not constitute terrorism, nor does it infringe on a company’s trade secrets.

VIII. If you are challenged, you do not have to explain why you are taking pictures, nor to you have to disclose your identity (except in some cases when questioned by a law enforcement officer.)

IX. Private parties have very limited rights to detain you against your will, and can be subject to legal action if they harass you.

X. If someone tries to confiscate your camera and/or film, you don’t have to give it to them. If they take it by force or threaten you, they can be liable for things like theft and coercion. Even law enforcement officers need a court order.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE CONFRONTED

Be respectful and polite. Use good judgement and don’t escalate the situation.
If the person becomes combative or difficult, think about calling the police.
Threats, detention, and taking your camera are all grounds for legal or civil actions on your part. Be sure to get the person’s name, employer, and what legal grounds they claim for their actions.
If you don’t want to involve the authorities, go above the person’s head to their supervisor or their company’s public relations department.
Call your local TV and radio stations and see if they want to do a story about your civil liberties.
Put the story on the web yourself if need be.

VIEW THE FULL POST HERE.

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The above content is not mine but i thought it is worth sharing especially today when people are so much into photography.