Anaconda's Photo techniques - good luck!

ANACONDA

First and foremost, there are very few shortcuts. ("Ah ha! That's why he's gonna tell us secrets!") It's like teaching
someone how to oil paint. I can tell you where to get your oil and canvas, but you still have to learn how to paint, and it takes elbow
grease and time.

Firstly you have to have a good camera and know how to use it. I use a Nikon Coolpix 4500 and also a Nikon Coolpix 990. The
most important settings to learn are the white balance and metering functions.

Secondarily, you have to learn the importance of lighting. Almost any light will do however some lights are better than others. Florescent
light (sp?) is good at reproducing color but not luster. Incandescent light is good for showing luster but not color. Natural light in the
mornings and evenings can be the best light for showing both, but not always. Experimentation is the way to go. Don't be afraid to take
20 photos utilizing the various variables. I often shoot an important coin 30 times per side to just get the raw materials to eventually
obtain an accurate final image.

Glare is a common problem and is generally overcome by positioning the coin in the holder at a different ange. Sometimes you just
have to live with a little glare. Glare can be done away with by using the contrast and brightness functions in Adobe Photoshop. You
can use a polarizing filter but often times that is going to impart color where there isn't any.

Thirdly, learn to use you imaging software. I use Adobe Photoshop. You have to manipulate and edit the images to get good
representation. Anyone who says "my images are not edited or manipulated" probably has bad images that do not accurately
represent the coin. Or they are big fat liars.

Learn to use the contrast and brightness functions in Adobe. Also the Color functions. Sharpening is important. Most images
need attention from these three options.

Ok, that's about it in a nutshell. Good luck.

adrian

WWW

Isn't there an easier way to take pro-quality images? I want the look, but without the work. What should I do?

K6AZ

<< <i>Thirdly, learn to use you imaging software. I use Adobe Photoshop. You have to manipulate and edit the images to get good
representation. Anyone who says "my images are not edited or manipulated" probably has bad images that do not accurately
represent the coin. Or they are big fat liars. >>



Adrian, I agree with most of your statement, except the above. I use a Nikon CP 4300 and a copy stand, and I never have to adjust anything in my graphics progam, except for cropping and sizing the image. My images are not lousy, and I am not a big fat liar.

ms70

Thanks Adrian! Much appreciated!

dragon

Thanks a lot for those tips Adrian, some very good advice! I have soooo many pieces that I'd like to have pics of, but just never really developed the hang on it. Maybe I'll try again now.

dragon

Dave99B

The real key to Anaconda's images are his subjects!

Dave

mnmcoin

<< <i>First and foremost, there are very few shortcuts. ("Ah ha! That's why he's gonna tell us secrets!") It's like teaching someone how to oil paint. I can tell you where to get your oil and canvas, but you still have to learn how to paint, and it takes elbow grease and time. >>



Very excellent point...and well said.

I will add a key ingredient to what he has so wisely expanded upon...and that is the use of both hands. Whether you use a simple tripod or a copystand such as the one K6AZ and I use or anything else...it is important to have the use of your hands...such as to minimize glare and angle.

thanks for your thoughts.

morris <><

northcoin

Adrian - in your experimenting have you tried the OTT light? (spelling?)

LucyBop

Thanks snakeie, maybe now I can take some better pictures...

CarlWohlforth

I just bought an Ott light. It helps me get more accurate colors.

I just started using PhotoShop. I am barely productive and it took lots of time to get this far!

If I took 30 shots of each coin I certainly would have better photos. It looks like I need to spend more time experimenting with my camera, lights and PhotoShop.

RotatedRainbows

Adrian is correct when it comes to lighting, just look at the two pictures below of this Maine commem (it is an error coin with dies rotated 95°ccw) look at the detail on the first one then compare it to the second photo especially look at the faces and the hands on the man on the left side (you can see each finger in the second photo but not the first) and the only difference between the two pictures is the angle of the OTT lights I used when I took them. When it comes to editing look at the Morgan pictures, this is the exact same photo the first just had standard sharpening but the second picture I increased the contrast by 20 in Photoshop and it makes the details in the picture look sharper with better focus even though it is the exact same photo with the same editing except I added more contrast. It is strictly trial and error as everybody will use a little different setup and like Adrian I always take many pictures of a coin from different angles (I usually will rotated the coin 90° for each picture) and have taken 40-50 pictures of one coin before I get a picture I am happy with as some coins are just much harder to get the right look to then others.

cosmicdebris

Adobe Photoshop is a must in my book.

ANACONDA

Hey -- that Russian coin is pretty cool. Never seen anything so black and white.

"Adrian - in your experimenting have you tried the OTT light?"

I have tried two lighting systems, one Swedish fiber optics that cost me $900 and another fiber optics set up that cost me $400.

The lighting under my kitchen cabinet works better. I am not pulling your leg.

adrian

lordmarcovan

Thanks for the pointers. I'm still at the flatbed-scanner-and-MGI Photosuite level, though I think I do pretty well with what I've got. Maybe it's time to climb up the learning (and equipment) curve a bit...

joejeweler

Hehehe......are you "hinting" at just sending your coins to Adrian for the photo's?

Hey........that might just work!
Joe T



<< <i>Isn't there an easier way to take pro-quality images? I want the look, but without the work. What should I do? >>

dragon

Holy cow!! $1300.00 for lighting?? that's more than my house, furnishings, and car are worth.

ANACONDA

Dragon....you're too funny. I've bought coins from you that cost more than some people's rides.

On the topic of photography, I forgot to mention....i have taken about 15,000 images in the last 4 years. Probably all but about 50 were taken with a copy stand or tripod.

adrian

doops

hell, ya'll are too complex. i use a sony fd75 set on auto settings and neautral "whatever those buttons mean" and photo raw coins on a velvet pad and slabs free-hand in natural 75w normal room lighting off a 10ft high ceiling fan. the only thing i have to do is after a recharge on the battery is hit the flash button to off. coins always look like in hand as they do in the pics, every time. *click* *poof* real-time coin-pics !

relayer

Ahh.. You're supposed to use LIGTHING and a GOOD CAMERA.

I knew something was amiss

cosmicdebris

Looks like it was irradiated!!!!!!