In August of 2021, when I dove into hundreds of photographs in my grandmother’s attic, that I realized that I am just the latest in a line of women who love to capture and leave a story in our footsteps. The pursuit of creative outlets exists as one of my first memories, and photography was the most easily accessible to me. I claimed vintage polaroids and hand-me-down 35mm cameras, then begged my parents to send in the 35mm film strips for developing. Taking my first job at the local department store photo lab no doubt saved me hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, and taught me the limited basics of contrast, brightness, and color theory. I didn’t even know photography was a valid career path. I simply pursued creativity with what was available to me at the time. Early adult life brought this Ohio-native to Chattanooga, where I photographed for friends for the cost of film and developing and eventually $25 and $50 paychecks per session. Later adult life brought me Kyle, a house full of furry loves, and a full-time career in the wedding industry. Life as a photographer fits perfectly into that, and continues to bring us the very best friends and the most fun adventures!
Oh, and I like dolly parton... Like, a lot.
hello, i'm kristina
"The pursuit of creative outlets exists as one of my first memories . . .
A camera in hand is just an extension of extremity that I have earned honestly."
a true
gearhead
at heart...
TURNED
PHOTOG.
As a middle Tennessee native, I moved to Chattanooga for college in pursuit of a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant. My career path brought Kristina to me, and me to TinType. I never thought the photoshop car contests I entered as a teenager would bring me such use in my adult life. But here I am, living the TinType life with Kristina, lovingly named “lighting guru and photoshop sage.” My gearhead hobbies include rebuilding rock crawlers, dabbling in gadgets and electronics, welding and throwing together new recipes in the kitchen with Kristina. The love for trying new things translates perfectly into photography, where I can experiment with new lighting and shooting techniques. And as most experiments go, even the big-life moments, the end result is usually surprising, sometimes unexpected, but always something new, exciting, and fun.
hello, i'm kyle
In 2012, a stress fracture brought Kristina to Kyle - in the form of physical therapy. While a stress fracture isn’t typically an open door to destiny, it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to us. Our first date of margaritas and tacos turned into a couple of years of exploring waterfalls, fajita movie nights, and hikes. Combined love for Mexican food and adventure eventually led to buying a house, getting married, and filling our house with four-legged loves. Kyle was adopted right into the original business - KD Studios. Together, we rebranded to TinType Photography.
Working together as a husband and wife photography team may present a few challenges here and there. But it has more benefits than either of us could have ever imagined. The days we're shooting together - whether it's an hour for a family session, or a wedding day of 10+ hours - are filled with laughter and love from our clients, but also us. We always go home at the end of the day, both energized and exhausted (in a good way), and always so grateful for the opportunity.
How do we keep the magic? Photography is a true bonus for us! We both maintain our full-time careers outside of TinType Photography, which allows us to have a true creative outlet, pursued through our love for capturing and story-telling.
Why the name TinType? Historically, tintype photographs are vintage photographic art pieces made on thin metal. Tintypes were the first photographs that were readily accessible to the general public, while remaining iconic due to the dramatic range presented.
SUPPORT STAFF
ChACO
Tilley
Oakley
The derpiest, most blanket-loving rescue boy.
The typical "little" sister, always the baby dog.
The not-so-little brother. Our giant, gentle polar bear.
Big Cat
Noodle
Nom-Nom
The least cat-hole cat there ever was.
Hidden at all times, dislikes most things.
Enjoys cronchy mealworms and the occasional nibble of a finger.
CUTE GECKO
PICTURE
COMING SOON
CUTE GECKO
PICTURE
COMING SOON
AND WE'RE TINTYPE
what's in a name?
OUR NAME PROMPTS US TO REMAIN ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE IN HEART AND SPIRIT, CAPTURING ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHIC ART.
