I've tried about a hundered different ways ... Now I need some expert help

indianabyron

I have tired to scan my coins, I have tried to take pictures with a digital camera . They all come out looking like need I say it doggy poop. How the heck to you guys and girls get those awsome pictures. This is really starting, NO it is reallying bothering me. I need some help with the lighting most time the pictures looked washed out because of the lightning. I have some awsome toned ( not of the likes of anaconda) but nice for a poor guy like me.

Hey how about throwning a dog a bone and giving a nice guy some help with this. I would like you to all share in the color i want to show you all.


Byron

nwcs

It's actually quite easy. Here are a few things to do in no particular order:

1. Reveal bulbs are NOT necessary if you have a digital camera that has a white source (sometimes called light balance or white balance) selector
2. Set said selector to bulb and not auto or fluorescent or sun and this will do 90% of the color correction you need.
3. Use a travel tripod for stability (most are small and can be used to position the camera really close to the coin)
4. When you take a picture, have the light source (I always use halogen) point directly at the coin and then hold a piece of white paper in front of the light to diffuse it. It helps to have some other overhead light that isn't overbearing and more ambient
5. Photoshop (full version or LE) is your best friend
6. The halogen light source I have is on a cheap $15 swingarm style desk lamp
7. White background always work better than black backgrounds for digital cameras because the color balance is based off of white and not off-white. Though some of the other steps listed can correct the color if it causes a problem.
8. Send the coin to me and I'll give you pictures in return

Dog97

Propping the end of a slab on a pencil really helps because it reflects the light at a different angle.
Real bright coins like Proofs scan better laying flat.
Sometimes I can click on "quick fix" and it looks real and then sometimes quick fix makes it look bad.
Every coin scans differently depending on the condition of it's surface.

Petescorner

Byron, I built a "photo box" about the size of a shoebox out of wood, painted the insides with gloss white paint, and added a battery powered light to the lid. I cut a whole in one of the edges big enough for my digital camera to poke through. My camera has a macro setting which enables me to get a close up shot. When I take the pictures, I turn off the flash and let the light in the box provide all the illumination. It's not the greatest set-up in the world, but I think it gets the job done. Here is a link to one of my past auctions so you can see how the pics usually come out. Good luck!

Expired auction

ANACONDA

You have to know how to use your camera, and scanner, identify or provide good light and know how to use your software.

You should also learn how to take scratches out of holders.

It only took me about two years to learn what I know and I'm still learning new tricks all the time.

Oh, and be prepared to work hard on every image.

Ronyahski

What a cutie!