New photo technique - well, to me anyway..

coppercoins

After studying lighting on coins for quite some time now, I have come to the conclusion that to get a good photograph of the true color of a coin, you have to flood the coin with light, but just right. I'll be revealing the technique after I get a better handle on it and can answer questions, but what do you think of this first pic using it?

MikeInFL

I like it a lot. It is a very attractive photo. However, my sense is that the picture makes the coin looks "flat" -- doesn't show luster. That being said, it is very well exposed, good contrast, and sharp as can be.

One question: Do you have another shot of this coin using a different lighting technique so as we can compare it to something?

Thanks for sharing, and I can't wait to hear how you did this -- it has a very attractive almost artistic look....Mike

Cladiator

I think the photo is outstanding. One of the most detailed and realistic Ike photos I've ever seen. It actually looks like a coin, not like a picture of a coin.

coppercoins

I don't have another photo using a different technique because, well, I don't really have a different technique that worked without a LOT of time invested, which I don't have. With this technique, things tend to work easily and quickly. I'll shoot some other coins and post them here.

poorguy

Looks like diffusion. Got a diffusion screen? Point the lights up to in and angle the coin directly into the screen.

Trinketts

The only problem with flooding a coin with light is you can hide tons of small surface scratches and hairlines... The deep hits will show.. But hairlines get consumed in the light.

Here's a good example:

1st pic is flooding the coin with light then using my camera's light diffusion to allow the coin to show through the glare..



Now here is the same coin taken without flooding the coin with light... And placing light sources at 10 and 2 o'clock..

librtyhead

trinketts the second coin looks better but I think coppercoins picture is better (compare to the coin in hand) only he could tell!..nice pics better than mine! both of them

coppercoins

Something I picked up in Colorado Springs for my class to use...



Straight out of my pocket change into the lighting setup...

coppercoins

Arguements are correct in that luster doesn't show well and small marks are lost using this method, but this is the very best technique I have found in 6 years of dinkering around with cameras and coins for bringing out the color of a coin with perfection. All else aside, the color represented in these images is dead-on accurate.

librtyhead

<< <i>Something I picked up in Colorado Springs for my class to use...



Straight out of my pocket change into the lighting setup...

>>

.that coin may look better with trinketts 2&10 lighting but nice at any rate!

airplanenut

They do look nice, but I agree they're flat. The other question is how this works through a slab--obviously, I don't know the technique so I don't know how the slab will affect it, but I dare say it'll change it.

coppercoins

circulated copper...

JRocco

Hey C.D.
How have you been?
I like the pic of the IKE for the overall "look" of the coin. I think you can really get a feel for the coin with this pic. I also agree that the luster is flat. It depends on what you want from the pic. If you want to show a coins luster include a second pic that shows the luster at the expense of the coins color.
My only objection to the pic would be if it unintentionally hid surface problems on the coin. I say unintentionally because I know you
Talk to you soon my friend.

lkenefic

Very Nice...what sort of camera are you using. I'm using a Cannon PowerShot A520 and I can't seem to get nearly enough light onto the surface of the coin to take a decent pic. In fact, all of my images so far look yellow and slightly out of focus.

Cladiator

coppercoins,

I wouldn't change a thing. IMO your new images are above excellent. Same league as Phil doing the TruView shots.

Leiana

I like the effect better on the copper coin. Greek is it? Great photos though.

-Amanda

19Lyds

Nice pic Chuck! How much do you want for the IKE?

lkenefic

<< <i>I like the effect better on the copper coin. Greek is it? Great photos though.

-Amanda >>



I agree...and copper coins are somewhat more difficult to photograph. However, I do see the points some of the others make in that on the '82 Morgan the luster and PL fields are lost with too much light.

L

JRocco

<< <i>coppercoins,

I wouldn't change a thing. IMO your new images are above excellent. Same league as Phil doing the TruView shots. >>



I agree clad. In fact- I may be going on a limb, but I think C'D's colors may be more accurate and less "showy"

gyocomgd

Fantastic photographs. I do think the photos looks a shade overexposed, too bright, a little bleached and washed out. I'd be curious to see the same shots coin after making one of these adjustments: (1) Kicking the white balance down one notch; (2) setting the lights a little farther from the coin; or (3)using lower wattage light bulbs.

coppercoins

<< <i>I like the effect better on the copper coin. Greek is it? Great photos though.

-Amanda >>



Thank you...yes, the coin is Greek. 10 Lepta (1/10 drachma). Back in the 19th century I would assume that would get you somewhere. When Greece gave up the Drachma (reluctantly) for the Euro, that coin would have bought exactly nothing. 10 Lepta was worth about $0.0002. It would have taken around 200 of them to buy a piece of bubble gum. A postage stamp was 250 drachma, or 2,500 lepta. My, how times change!

Regarding the setup...

It involves a wooden box, a light, mirrors, a divider, black felt coating, a mirror, and a copy stand built-in to the side of the box. It's not finished yet, and won't be for another week. When it is, I will photograph it, work out the quirks, build a few of them, and offer them for sale.

Leiana

<< <i>[Thank you...yes, the coin is Greek. 10 Lepta (1/10 drachma). Back in the 19th century I would assume that would get you somewhere. When Greece gave up the Drachma (reluctantly) for the Euro, that coin would have bought exactly nothing. 10 Lepta was worth about $0.0002. It would have taken around 200 of them to buy a piece of bubble gum. A postage stamp was 250 drachma, or 2,500 lepta. My, how times change! >>



Cool. Too bad it devalued that badly. Like the Lira in Italy after WWII, you needed a wheelbarrow full just for a loaf of bread! Thanks for sharing your photographs! I certainly enjoyed them.

-Amanda

coppercoins

Fulfilling a request to post a large format image of my photography results. Due to some people's bandwidth constraints, I am posting this one as a link.

Large Cent Photo - WARNING!! 192K image!

edited to add: This image is hand-held...the copy stand part of my box isn't finished yet. Once I can anchor the camera better, I'm sure the images will turn out nicer.

coppercoins

A proof...

coppercoins

Still playing with the design of my lighting instrument...I will get more shots after returning from Memphis next week.

messydesk

Looks and sounds like an axial lighting jig you're making there. For slabs, you'll need to diffuse the light a lot. You'll get flatter pictures, but if a camera and post-processing software that both support extended pixel depth are used, you can overcome that pretty effectively.