19th Century Portrait Experience | Historic Photography Workshop

Experience authentic 19th-century portrait photography at Five Historic Photography Studio in São Pedro de Sintra.

Join Filipe and Vera, two former biologists with over ten years of experience in authentic 19th-century photographic techniques, for an immersive one-hour experience exploring the historic wet plate collodion process.

The starting price is €45 per booking, not per person. This includes one small 10 × 12 cm tintype on aluminium.

One booking is for one session and one photographic plate. Up to five people can participate in the same booking and appear together on the same plate. You do not need to make a separate booking for each person.

Larger plates in 13 × 18 cm or 20 × 25 cm, ambrotypes on glass and additional portraits are available at an extra cost. Larger plates and ambrotypes can be selected as optional extras when booking. If you would like additional plates during your visit, these can also be added and paid for at the studio.

The experience takes place in our historic photography studio in Sintra, where you will discover the complete wet plate collodion process, from preparing the plate to developing and varnishing your finished photograph.

The session begins with an introduction to the history of photography and the wet plate collodion process, invented in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer. You will then experience the original process step by step: preparing the glass or metal plate, coating it with collodion, sensitising it in silver nitrate, taking the portrait with guidance on posing and exposure time, developing the image in the darkroom under red safelight, watching the magical transformation from negative to positive, and finally varnishing the plate for long-term preservation.

Historical clothing and accessories are also available to enrich the portrait experience, although contemporary clothing is equally welcome.

What you’ll experience

📷An introduction to the history of photography and the 1851 wet plate collodion process

📷 Manual preparation of the photographic plate, including collodion coating and silver nitrate sensitisation

📷 A guided portrait session with advice on posing and exposure techniques used in the 19th century

📷 The complete darkroom experience, watching your image develop under red safelight

📷 The extraordinary transformation of the image from negative to positive before your eyes

📷 Final varnishing of your plate for long-term preservation

What’s included

📷 One 10 × 12 cm tintype on aluminium

📷 One one-hour session for up to five participants

📷 Historical introduction and explanation of the photographic process

📷 Guided portrait session

📷 Guided darkroom experience and development of your photograph

📷 Final varnishing of the plate

📷 Optional historical clothing and accessories

You can customise your experience by adding extras when booking:

📷 13 × 18 cm photographic plate

📷 20 × 25 cm photographic plate

📷 Ambrotype on glass

Important Booking Information

Starting price: €45 per booking, including one 10 × 12 cm aluminium tintype.
One booking includes one photographic plate and can include up to 5 participants.
Larger plates and ambrotypes can be selected as optional extras when booking. Additional plates can also be added and paid for at the studio.

For example, a booking for two people is still one booking at €45, provided you choose the standard 10 × 12 cm aluminium tintype. If you would like a larger plate to accomodate more people (maximum 5) or an ambrotype on glass, you can select the corresponding optional extras when booking.

What you leave with

An original photograph made entirely by hand using the historic wet plate collodion process.

Each plate is individually prepared, exposed, developed and varnished in our studio. No two plates are exactly alike, making your photograph a unique and tangible connection to the origins of photography.

Starting price: €45 per booking
Includes: 1 . 10 × 12 cm aluminium tintype
Duration: 1 hour
Up to 5 participants per booking
Larger plates, glass ambrotypes available as optional extras.

Price 45 euros per plate. Duration one hour. Up to 5 participants per session. Takes place at Five Historic Photography Studio, São Pedro de Sintra. Larger plates and ambrotypes available at extra cost.