Tintype Photography: Past Meets Present
TAOS, New Mexico — Join us in the courtyard for a fascinating evening exploring the history and artistry of wet plate photography and its unique connection to the Carson family.
Using the wet plate process developed in the 1850s, Colorado wet plate photographer Don Jones created a portrait of John Carson, great-grandson of Kit Carson. Join us for a discussion of the process and the dedication of this remarkable image.
As a wet plate photographer from Colorado, Don has created a niche making fine art portraits of notable characters. His first foray into wet plate photography included portraits of eight of the iconic Florida Highwaymen artists. This was followed by a feature in Cowboys & Indians magazine, where Don created a wet plate portrait of Ernie LaPointe, great-grandson of Sitting Bull. Years later, that portrait inspired Don to track down his latest subject, John Carson, great-grandson of Kit Carson.
Drawn to authenticity, Don was excited from the start about this project. On the wall in the Carson House is a print of the first known photograph of Kit Carson, taken sometime in the 1840s using the daguerreotype process, the first photographic process.
All other known photographs of Kit Carson were made using the wet plate process, invented in 1851 and used until 1868, the year Kit Carson died. As Don explains,
“To make a portrait of Kit Carson’s great-grandson, on Kit Carson’s actual porch, using the same process used to photograph Kit Carson, is about as authentic as it gets.”
Adding to the authenticity of the portrait, John Carson designed and hand-made his entire wardrobe and assembled his own musket rifle for the photograph.
The portrait was created on May 27, 2026, bringing together a historic photographic process, the Carson family legacy, and a living connection to the past.
Come out to the courtyard and enjoy an evening of history, photography, and storytelling as past meets present at The Carson House & Museum.
EVENT INFORMATION
Conversations at The Carson House & Museum
Tintype Photography: Past Meets Present
Presented by Don Jones
Saturday, October 3, 2026
5:00 p.m.
The Carson House & Museum
113 Kit Carson Road
Taos, New Mexico
Admission is Free
Open to the public.
MEDIA CONTACT
Debbie Friday Jagers
Development Committee
The Carson House & Museum
Phone: 575.770.1618
Email: debbie@dfjagers.com