tip needed: how to photograph luster on lightly toned coins

Doogy

I've taken a couple pics of half-crown that I'm satisfied with, except for the fact that I can't get the great luster to 'pop' under the light toning. Any tips and/or tricks that you use to make this happen, or is it too difficult with toned coins to get much to show up on digital photos? thanks for any pointers!

Doug

GDJMSP

Judge the angle at which the luster "pops" for your eyes and try to reproduce that same angle with the camera. Note - angle of incidence always equals angle of reflection. So the angle from the light to the coin and to your eye needs to be same as the angle from the light to the coin and to the camera.

Doogy

<< <i>Judge the angle at which the luster "pops" for your eyes and try to reproduce that same angle with the camera. Note - angle of incidence always equals angle of reflection. So the angle from the light to the coin and to your eye needs to be same as the angle from the light to the coin and to the camera. >>



thanks for the tip Doug, i'll give it a whirl!


Doug

ColinCMR

looks like a really nice coin!

sinin1

try dark room with point light source about 45 degree angle to coin - a couple feet from coin


you may lose some of toning colors

theboz11

You can also try the angled glass technique. It was discussed here a couple years back. I'll see if I can find it. Basically you shoot through a slanted piece of glass with the light source at 90 degrees reflecting down on your coin.

Here is a makeshift rig that I made out of paint stirrers, old picture frame glass , Drapery holders, and counter top cutout remnant , the camera is hung from a license plate holder from a motorcycle, cut in half. Total cost about 3 dollars.