Tin Type Workshop

Meet Joe Makarski: Traveling Tintype Photographer

Joe Makarski is a contemporary wet plate collodion photographer dedicated to preserving one of photography’s oldest and most captivating processes. Using the same techniques that created portraits during the Civil War era, Joe handcrafts one-of-a-kind tintype images on metal plates, transforming each photograph into a lasting piece of art. The tintype process dates back to the 1850s and requires skill, patience, and craftsmanship, producing photographs that are impossible to duplicate.

For years, Joe has traveled the country in his converted school bus, bringing the magic of historic photography to festivals, homesteads, small towns, and communities across America. His mobile darkroom allows him to create authentic wet plate portraits wherever the road leads, blending adventure, storytelling, and traditional craftsmanship into every image.

Known for his striking portraits and immersive workshops, Joe invites participants to step back in time and experience photography as it was practiced…