The next Coin Photo contest

cosmicdebris

I am thinking of doing a coin photo contest with strict rules for picture content. Let me know what everyone thinks.

1: All images will feature the coin and the coin only
2: All entries to be 2 pictures: 1 of the obverse and 1 of the reverse of the same coin
3: Each individual image of obverse and reverse to be 400 X 400 pixels and under 50K in file size
(this way CU can host the images and be more friendly to dial uppers)
4: All entries to be judged solely by which image best captures the actual coin
5: No feet allowed

Russ

The problem with #4 is that nobody judging will have actually seen the coin in hand.

Russ, NCNE

FullHorn

I agree that there should be no feet allowed, that foot shot beat me by like five votes

coinguy89

<< <i>I agree that there should be no feet allowed, that foot shot beat me by like five votes >>



I don't understand what you mean when you say "no feet allowed"?

DorkGirl

Sounds ok so far, but why not take it a step further. Everyone takes a pic or scan of a modern quarter that they take from circulation, no proofs, no killer toning, just a circulated quarter. That way the contest will be about the photography and not the coin. If you don't do something like that, then it's all about who has the prettiest coin, and it's not really a photo contest at all. Just my 2 cents worth

KlectorKid

I agree with Becky. It will all boil down to the coin in the end. If they all had to use the same type in the same (near same) condition it would level the playing field.

Neptune

OK, so who has the the fanciest and most expensive camera, and/or equipment? 75% of the entries of the last contest were of the coin and coin only, excluding just a few including the feet, vomit and a few flowers. The rules for the last contest were to "use imagination" - most of those images, while exceptional, could be seen any day of the week on this coin forum. And I enjoy them all.

jhar

Sounds good, where and when??

Barry

I agree with Dorkgirl (any relation to Karl?)

Neptune, while eqpt. makes a difference, it doesn't make that much difference. As an example look at Russ' pics. Pretty cheap camera, great pics.

ConstellatioCollector

You mean, nothing like this?

nOoBiEeE

Sounds good. Start it up and I'm in..

Crackout

I have to disagree with the whole premise of "strict rules for picture content". While the "foot" picture was entered in total disregard for the general conception of the original contest, it was creative and humorous and certainly identified with quite a number of voters (unlike the "money cow"). Jerry Seinfeld was popular in part because he talked about "did you ever notice" stuff - things people could identify with.

I believe that these creative entries gave the contest some additonal interest and perspective on coins. As was said previously, most other images could be seen daily on this forum. While I certainly agree with limiting size (this was a part of the last contest's rules, but not totally followed), I think when you condense it down to "the coin, and the coin only" and "obverse and reverse only" it starts to make it a camera and photoshop contest. The last contest just about had it right - it just needed to keep the participants within the size limits and try to enforce the limitation of "photo altering" (ie, collages, color enhancement, cut & paste, etc.).

Keep some kind of "poetic license" in the contest!

Shooter

This is just another ploy to enable you to whine some more about your image doing so poorly in the last contest. If you're going to make rules then cut out all Photoshop software manipulation, then you'd really have something to whine about wouldn't you?

puff

>>>(this way CU can host the images and be more friendly to dial uppers)<<<

Good...... Maybe this time I can get past the 4th coin pictured in less than 30 minutes!

cosmicdebris

Hey Shooter you know what Cheney just said, don't you?

Actually if I ran this contest I would not post an entry just like the person that ran the last one. So there goes your theory. And if I ran it it would be my rules too. I think a lot of people around take great pictures and deserve to be recognized for their technical expertise. What I am looking for are images you would see in an auction catalog.

Placid

jhar

Shooter

<< <i>What I am looking for are images you would see in an auction catalog. >>



Apparently this is where we differ. I find images in an auction catalog both sterile and uninviting. You can make anything look good through photoshop but who wants a picture that contains no soul? Perhaps you should take a look at Gerald Hoberman's book "The Art of Coins: and their photography" to get an idea of what I am talking about. There is a large disparity between the commercial creation of coin images and the artful capture of the coin's original essence.

cosmicdebris

?????????? All I do in Photoshop is crop out the background, resize and put the obverse and reverse into one image. No Other manipulation is needed.

coinguy89

You should have a coin photo contest for the younger numismatist like me. I think that would be a great idea. Say like 16 and under, something like that would be fun. It would also get kids like us to work on our photo skills, so we don't make ourselves look bad.

ksteelheader

I think coinguy89 has a very good idea here!

We really don't need another coin photography contest for the rest of us right now. Hell, we just had one. Is someone here mad because they didn't win or what?

Ideas on rules also will be just like asking for opinions on coin designs. 1000 people will give 1000 ideas!....Ken