Photography tips--two completely different ways to show off your coins (For Lustre and for Toning)

airplanenut

After showing off my buffalos that just got graded, I was asked to explain the different ways I shoot that show the coins so differently. First, my train of thought: It is impossible to shoot both lustre and toning in one shot, barring a few spectacular coins that are toned in just the right way. Basically, if you go for both, you'll end up showing diminished lustre and less-than-stellar color. With that in mind, I almost always shoot every toned coin of mine twice--once to capture toning, and once to capture lustre.

Here are two coins and the "lustre" pictures:






Here, I can't remember () if I used one or two lights, but that is not important. What is important is that the light was to the side of the coin and angled towards the piece. When moved to the right spot, it showed off the lustre of the pieces (which on buffalos is not a cartwheel).

Here are the same two coins and "toning" pictures:






Here, I used just one light that was right over the coin, not at an angle. All I had to do was move the light to be just so, and the color appears. What this means, though, is that high-relief coins and larger coins tend to be more difficult to shoot in this manner, as the light may not cover the whole coin, or it may cast shadows. When that happens, just keep moving the light slightly. Also, many times the coins are set to be underexposed because there is so much light--I usually have to change exposure settings to get the coin to look right in the image.

A final word: As always, this becomes more difficult to do with a slabbed piece. Usually, the lustre isn't so much a problem, because the light is off to the side not creating a glare. When the light is over the coin, though, the glare forms. What I suggest is simply diffusing the light, which may wash out the picture--correct for that with exposure and/or brightness/contrast when the image is being edited on your computer.

I hope these tips were helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to post and I'll make sure they're answered.

Enjoy!

Jeremy

cosmicdebris

Your photography skills keep getting better all the time.

Numismanic

What type of bulbs work best for white coins and proofs and how do you avoid having the reflection of the camera show on the coin?
Thanks, Don

airplanenut

Don,

I always use white, incandescent flood lights in my desk lamps--they spread light better, and protrude from the dome, thus the dome stays rather cool (the bulbs, though, get VERY hot). For proofs, I usually angle the lights to the side of the coin until there's no reflection. I'll be honest, though, that proofs (moderns, that is) give me the most trouble, as I shoot so few of them.

Really, the key to getting no reflection, is to shoot a lot--I usually shoot 10+ pictures of each side of each coin... I try to get the reflection just to the side of the coin, and with that many shots, I'm about 98% successful at not having to reshoot. Some coins, though, such as deeply toned mint set pieces, basically need the reflection or they won't show their color.

Jeremy

mgoodm3

slabs make the process difficult as Jeremy said. The higher the angle of light, the better the color, the problem comes with plastic and getting a reflection off of the plastic at high angles. That's where photoshop comes in to reduce the glare with contrast and brightness. If you can make that glare even over the coin most of it can be removed with contrast settings.

Seems like the toned business strikes are easier to show luster and color at the same time (eg. morgans). Proofs or proof-like coins commonly show almost no color until you look at them at an angle. here's a semi-PL halfdime.

straight-on:



angled:

spy88

Jeremy, I agree with your statement about getting luster and tone in one pic impossible. The best you can do will still be a trade-off of lessening one for the other and visa versa.

I did a very similar study across the street for the reverse of a very colorful toned Jeff ("How I photoed Splatter") in the Coin Tangents forum. My focus was primarily to show how I was able to capture the colors and not about the under-lying luster present. If anyone is interested, here's the link:

Splatter

And just from my own preference, the word "luster" is the correct spelling. "Lustre" is the British variant and quite correct so no slam intended.

David

airplanenut

<< <i>And just from my own preference, the word "luster" is the correct spelling. "Lustre" is the British variant and quite correct so no slam intended. >>

I know... but I've been typing it lustre for so long, that I just keep it that way. It makes me feel more sophistamacated

Myqqy

You mentioned exposure settings with regards to changing the angle of the lighting.... if one is just trying to get by with a digital camera, then do you just try to compensate in photoshop after you've gotten your shots??

Barry

Mark - That second Seated Dime pic is fabulous.

Jeremy - What are you using for the black background? BTW, you're pics aren't too shabby, either

photoman

Another easy way to shoot raw coins, and what I use for our catalogs and web, is via Axial lighting. Look it up. Doesn't work well with slabs though.

mgoodm3

<< <i>Another easy way to shoot raw coins, and what I use for our catalogs and web, is via Axial lighting. Look it up. Doesn't work well with slabs though. >>




Axial lighting is the 45 degree glass with light on the side technique described here before, a good way to get high angle lighting.

airplanenut

Barry--a $1 foam pad from the Rag Shop

Part of it is slightly melting, though

Jeremy

Stuart

Barry & Jeremy: I have found that a black felt or velvet piece of fabric also works very well as a black photo background because they do not reflect light.

Barry

I'm sure I have some conductive black foam used to hold ICs around here somewhere. That should work...

airplanenut

<< <i>I'm sure I have some conductive black foam used to hold ICs around here somewhere. That should work... >>

Yup--anything black should do the trick as long as it's soft