About
BIO / COBY & ALEXANDRA
Tin:13 is the passion project tintype studio of Coby and Alexandra, wedding photographers and filmmakers based in Monterey, California. After years of documenting love stories all over California, we created Tin:13 as a return to the roots of photography.
Using the historic wet plate collodion process, we handcraft one of a kind portraits on metal. Each piece is made entirely by hand, completely unique, and meant to last for generations. No negatives. No duplicates. Just permanence, texture, and legacy.
As wedding photographers and filmmakers based in Monterey, California, Coby and Alexandra have spent years documenting fleeting moments along the rugged coastline of Big Sur and the Central Coast. Through thousands of digital images and countless hours of film, one truth became clear to them: the most meaningful photographs are the ones that feel permanent. Tin:13 was born from that desire to slow down and return to something tangible.
The wet plate collodion process, first introduced in the 1850s, requires patience, precision, and presence. Each portrait is exposed on a sheet of metal, developed by hand, and completed within minutes while the plate is still wet. No automation. No shortcuts. The result is a singular object that carries texture, depth, and character in a way modern photography cannot replicate. Every plate holds its own imperfections, brush marks, and tonal shifts, making it entirely one of a kind.
For Coby and Alexandra, Tin:13 is more than a medium. It is a philosophy. It is about preservation over performance. Intention over speed. Legacy over convenience. Whether documenting couples, families, artists, or individuals, their goal is to create heirloom pieces that will outlive trends and technology. In a world built on instant consumption, Tin:13 exists to create something slower, heavier, and enduring.
Each portrait is not simply taken. It is crafted.