Numismatic Photography book cover design - what do you think?

coppercoins

Okay, so I've given the cover to my next book some thought, and would like to hear comments...

TommyType

Too simple....plain....boring......













I like it! That's a cool way to depict digital photography!

Cladiator

I like it, alot! How do I get the book???

Edited to add: Maybe lower your name a bit so you don't have to read it through the St. Gaudens? JMO

coppercoins

<< <i>I like it, alot! How do I get the book??? >>



LOL! You first have to wait until it's compiled, written, and sent to press....then we can talk

Cladiator

Well, put me down for one of the first...hot off the press and autographed of course

coppercoins

<< <i>Edited to add: Maybe lower your name a bit so you don't have to read it through the St. Gaudens? JMO >>



Point noted...cover changed.

mintluster

I think the cover is really cool looking. A great eye catcher!! Good job!!

Wekar

Put me down for an autographed copy too. Just got myself a digital camera, gotta start playing with it.

I like how you've got the saint digitizing into squares; my first thought though was, would it look cool if the saint changed to squares (as is), but further out the squares changed to 0's and 1's, instead of the white 01 background or maybe combine it with the 01 background?

Maybe I'm too much of a noob, but, I have the feeling you'd sell more copies if you used the word 'coins' instead of numismatics. Maybe you'd lose all the people on these boards, but I bet you'd have more luck on Amazon keyword search lists... nevermind, don't dumb it down like that., but consider 'Numismatic Digital Photography' to catch "Digital photography" keywords searches (can you tell I'm a web developer?).

mgoodm3

Nice job.

JoshL

Very nice!

relayer

I think your cover with pixels turning into binary is trying to explain the concept of the book, but the title conveys that and to me it's not very pleasing to the eye.

I'd dump the camera lens and just put some killer coin photos on the cover.

Since what you want is to convince me that I need your book so I can take good pictures, show your best coin pictures on the cover.

Or maybe start with a fuzzy picture and zooms in to a nice sharp closeup.

I think the cover should show what my results will be once I buy your book.

clackamas

The title is too complicted, IMO. You have a few seconds to capture someone. There is a 15 foot rule as well. As for the other elements they are fine.

TUMUSS

I know that you are requesting constructive critisim......well sorry I have none.

I think it is Excellent.

Rob790

I think it's great, really liked the "1"'s and "0"s pattern. Very good design. Only negative thing I can say is that I don't like the font used in the title, although I can see why you used it.

cosmicdebris

Very Cool!

zzzz

I's that coin disolving in Acetone or what man ???

ksteelheader

It's perfectly fine to me!

Ken

MadMarty

I like it, it looks like your grinding that gold coin into gold dust!!!

kranky

I would drop the "for beginners" in the title. I would also lose the lens and the 1's/0's and use more coin pictures, with a mix of different types - full coin images, a close-up of an RPM, picture of a lettered edge - so I can tell this book will show me how to do everything. Or what about a photo that shows a copy stand being used to take a picture of a coin, surrounded by the actual coin pictures? That would instantly tell me what the book is about.

Even though I'm suggesting you change the cover photo, that's a pretty cool effect with the Saint.

nwcs

How about right justifying your name and adding a silver and copper coin in there somewhere. They don't have to be as prominent but would add additional color to the cover. How about Beginning Digital Photography for Numismatists as a title?

magikbilly

IMHO, way too busy and not the best composition or title or font. There is too much wasted space as well (almost 3/4 of the right hand side IMHO is taken by the digital effect which, while "neat", can't sustain the cover - the only other focal points are the degraded coin and camera). The message conveyed by the image is somewhat redundant in light of the title. The suggestions already raised are enough to work with, and rather astute.

Billy

kieferscoins

I want that book!

What is the thing in the background? is it a digital camera or a normal camera?

Cameron Kiefer

Neptune

Interesting concept, and nice design!!!

- and I also want an autographed copy!

It appears, at first glance, that the coin is disentegrating before my eyes vs. being 'captured' by the lense - Shouldn't the the X and O's be coming to the lense vs. just to the camera 'body.'? or am I seeing this wrong?

I do agree with the search for word "coin", altho numismatic is a much kewler word. I do think the word 'coin would bring in more buckaroos in the long run? or not?

You could also go with a subtitle if you do change the title. ie.

TITLE: Subtitle

with the TITLE being on top
and the Subtitle being smaller underneath main title


Such as:

CPU
Coin Photography Unveiled
The New Digital Age

Good luck!

coppercoins

Thanks for all the suggestions, worth mulling over and considering. Good ones!

The reason the title uses "numismatic" instead of "coin" is because the subject of the book is numismatic photography, a term that has been pretty mainstay since auction catalogs first began. The title needs to have some level of sophistication or the book won't get attention.

Regarding searching for the book, that won't be difficult at all - it will be in the numismatic book section AND photography section of any bookstore, and will be carried by numismatic booksellers. The term "photography" used in the title will draw plenty of attention.

My personal opinion is that a subtitle would clutter the cover.

Just photos of coins, even different types and metals would make the cover boring. It would look like an auction catalog or a coin information book. The most important aspect of the book is the fact that it describes "digital" - I wouldn't want anyone to miss that and think the book is about developing film or buying $5000 large format camera setups.

The word "beginners" is very, very important. Everyone needs to know that anybody can do this with the right guidance. There will not be an overabundance of discussion about shutter speeds, focal length, aperture, and other photographic terms that lose beginners quickly. This is a book about buying the equipment, setting it up, and being able to get nice results within a few days given practice.

The artistic idea of the cover was to have the pixels come through a wall of 1s and zeros (binary numbers, which is what all computers think in) and "develop" into a photo of a coin right in front of your eyes. The camera lens will be changed to the front of a digital camera (the current shot is of the lens on my Minolta non-digital camera - the only lens I have at the time. The lens is unrelated to the effect, it doesn't play a part except to include photographic equipment on the cover to draw the visually geared people.

I'll send this one to the publisher and see what they say about it. Thanks again for the suggestions!

solid

I really like the look of the coin morphing into pixelated digits!

Agree that the title may be too complicated.

Good job!

Ken

kieferscoins

<< <i>The camera lens will be changed to the front of a digital camera (the current shot is of the lens on my Minolta non-digital camera - the only lens I have at the time. >>



Ok, good! I was right people can recognize the difference from a normal camera and a digital camera.

Cameron Kiefer

airplanenut

I think it's cool, although you may want to consider a few more coins pictures in lieu of something else on the cover--just to give a broader sense of the contents.

Jeremy

Smittys

Nice maybe I can learn something.
Great Job.

marcmoish

Super cover - make sure we know when its published and all - I like it - great eye appeal.



Marc

perfectstrike

When I see books that have coin photography, every one tries to capture your eye with a gold coin. A second thought is that numismatic begginers don't have the cash for gold purchases, so photographs of gold coins are pretty but impractical. Now featuring copper proudly on the cover would be unique and different. One IHC and one Lincoln should do it. Call that my $0.02 contribution. The book should features lots of coins that can be pulled out of a begginners pocket or modern mint purchases.

perfectstrike

Neptune

Just photos of coins, even different types and metals would make the cover boring.

I agree with that statement.

And also, a nicely toned Buffalo Nickel or Walking Liberty might look nice vs. the gold should you decide to change the coin later.

Nice work tho - and I still want a signed copy.

Pam

JadeRareCoin

I love it!

Please don't use too many big words in the book as I really need to read it.

JoshL

Really what it needs isn't that nasty old copper some are suggesting...but a BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW MORGAN!!!!


hehe

MICHAELDIXON

I think it is a great cover and agree the change to the frontal view of the camera would look nicer. I think everybody is misunderstanding the "0's and 1's." To me, it isn't 0's and 1's, it's Photography 101; basic and informative like a College Class. While I agree everybody might not be able to afford a St Gaudens, I feel the SG will attract more attention than anything else. While each of us might have our personal preferences in coins, the simple fact is: gold attracts people. The term Numismatic is appropriate. For those searching for a numismatic photography book, they most likely won't be newbies to the hobby and will know what the term means. The term Coin in the title, (IMO) is too juvenile. Juvenile might not be the best word and I don't mean to insult anybody, but it's the only term I can think of at the moment.

nwcs

I think having one or two really macro images on the cover would be cool. You know, like a die variety detail (doubling perhaps?) on the cover. Maybe the back cover could have some of those extras. The $20 is definitely used a lot. Perhaps do something a bit different that is striking? Like a cool pattern coin or a $10 gold or something visually striking.

chuckfarthing

Great cover!

What's the book about?

Askari

A very nice piece of work!! However, I tend to agree with Kranky (other than that I believe "Beginners" should stay). As a beginner, I'd want to see a selection of the different types of coins you're covering to give me a visual idea of the breadth of topics your book will be covering. The coins should be ones a collector (who may not necessarily be a novice at coin collecting) might be interested in -- copper, bronze, silver, gold coins, maybe an error, a detail shot, toning, and so forth. The challenge would be to balance it without it becoming too busy or too uninteresting.

I'm looking forward to my copy!

coppercoins

I think there's a bit of misconception as to who the "beginners" are. This book is intended for people who are already into coins, but don't know the first thing about the photography. That's its intent.

kranky

See, you don't need "for beginners" in the title. It's just confusing!

[edit] Editing to elaborate a bit. To put it another way, I think "for beginners" is superfluous. I wouldn't expect a book like this to be for advanced photographers even if it didn't say "for beginners" in the title. I would expect a book on digital numismatic photography to show me how to take good digital pictures of coins, no matter what my level of photographic experience. It's not an area that needs beginner/advanced books.

There's a downside to including "for beginners" as well - it could make some potential buyers think it's too basic for them to learn from, which I'm sure will not be the case for ANYONE who is interested in such a book. I just think saying "for beginners" has more potential to hurt than it does to help. [/edit]

mgoodm3

you should probably change the title to:

"Numismatic photography for those who are beginners to numismatic photography but not necessarily new to the collecting of coins, if you see what I mean."

I think that would be more clear

mhammerman

Less is more and more is better. I would lose the slr lens...confuses the issue. The title..."Coin Photography". with your name on the bottom of the front cover in smaller type. The pixilated coin is a nice concept and really is all you need to convey your message, this part is very well done and anything else you do on the cover is superfluous and detracts from your excellent concept and very communicative graphic.

EagleEye

I would put a common easy to use camera, like a coolpix instead of the lens. Maybe instead of the chopped up coin, a bookshelf album (or slab) in the background with an image of a coin from the collection up front. Kind of brings home the point of beginners, coin collectors and digital photography.

kranky

coppercoins, you need to convince this seller to buy a copy of your book!

coinpage

<< <i>I think your cover with pixels turning into binary is trying to explain the concept of the book, but the title conveys that and to me it's not very pleasing to the eye.
I'd dump the camera lens and just put some killer coin photos on the cover.
Since what you want is to convince me that I need your book so I can take good pictures, show your best coin pictures on the cover.
Or maybe start with a fuzzy picture and zooms in to a nice sharp closeup.
I think the cover should show what my results will be once I buy your book. >>




I agree with Relayer