Coffer

John Coffer, a tintype photographer, has spent the past 25 years living a Thoreauvian existence in a cabin in New York. His 19th-century technique of wet plate photography involves making a direct positive on a sheet of metal, which, Coffer says, "is very intentional, and you're not going to make very many in a day ... Each image is absolutely unique, like a painting." In this spirit, he does many things on his farm "the old 19th century way,' but he also uses some new technologies, like solar panels and a laptop. He predicts that more people will look to the past to find balance with modern life, and the serenity and natural beauty of his world are certainly an inspiration.