The Civil War Tintype and Modern Soldiers

After watching the news clip on The Civil War Tintype and Modern Soldiers, I have gained an admiration for Ed Drew. Being a soldier in Afghanistan and pursuing a degree in Fine Arts has lead Drew to use the tintype process which was a very popular form of photography during the Civil War. Taking the time to use this process while at war displays patience and passion that you normally don’t see in a soldier. I believe that the revival of the tintype process by Drew was a wonderful idea because time and effort put into taking these photos are actually shown in the quality of the photographs. Using the old form of tintype process to document modern warfare represents a strong connection to war since it is the type of photography that was used during the Civil War. I believe that Drew’s photos are clear, crisp, realistic, and have a connection to the soul in the photograph. The main reason why Drew uses this process is because he had the equipment from art school and wanted to capture photos to show his son and loved ones. I agree with Drew that the beauty of tintypes is that they are an actual physical thing and each one is unique. His photographs are incredible and really display how an old process can present something modern in a clear realistic way.