Also called: Wet-Plate Collodion Photographer, Historic Process Photographer
Makes one-of-a-kind photos on metal or glass using an 1850s chemical process, often at events, studios, and historic sites.
A tintype photographer pours syrupy collodion onto a small metal plate, dips it in silver nitrate, and makes a portrait with a big wooden camera and a several-second exposure. They develop it in a portable darkroom while guests watch the image appear, then varnish it to last a century.
Approximate; mostly self-employed; event portraits often sell for $50-$150 each.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. Photography basics plus wet-plate workshops.
Ways in: Certification, Self-taught. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Photography, Fine Arts, Chemistry.
Growing about average. Small but popular niche at weddings, festivals, and galleries.
Low risk for 10 years. The appeal is a physical, chemical, handmade object; AI filters can't make a real metal plate.
Classes: Chemistry, Photography or art, Business.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-4021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.