Modern-day musicians, old-time feel

Pat Shields holds his mandolin close to his body, his hands weathered from years of playing the instrument.

Janice Birchfield poses with a washtub bass that's taller than she is.

Against a backdrop of chopped wood, Ralph Roberts holds his fiddle to his shoulder.

These photos, captured on tintypes, seem to transcend any specific point in time. They were taken by Lisa Elmaleh as part of her project "American Folk" -- a portrait series documenting folk musicians in and around the Appalachian Mountains.