Looking for feedback on coin photography (NEW Photos added 02/06/12))
JamesM
Posts: 757 ✭
Been messing around with ISO, F-Stop, WB and Active D-Lighting and I am feeling pretty good with the results.
It is still amazing to me how complex coin photography is.
Thank you for your feedback and advice.
New:
OLD:
It is still amazing to me how complex coin photography is.
Thank you for your feedback and advice.
New:
OLD:
--- Mayer Numismatics --- Collectors Corner --- (888) 822 - COIN ---
0
Comments
clarity and size are just right
lighting is pretty even, a little much on the high points, but can be overlooked for the other qualities
I'd say you are ahead of 60% of the auction/dealer sites I frequent. Kudos for caring
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Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
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Lance.
is that in color?
A coin that is flat in color, like a burnished ASE, is much easier to photograph, IMO.
Just takes lots of trial n error, you're on the right path, good job kid
<< <i>Excellent, James! About the only thing I would add is try to recover some of what is lost in the white areas. If you shoot raw you can use highlight control to retrieve some of that data.
Lance. >>
You can shoot in jpg and Lightroom has a slider for highlight control.
Tom
<< <i>
<< <i>Excellent, James! About the only thing I would add is try to recover some of what is lost in the white areas. If you shoot raw you can use highlight control to retrieve some of that data.
Lance. >>
You can shoot in jpg and Lightroom has a slider for highlight control. >>
You can. But once in jpg you have lost the data behind the white areas. That is why post-processing in raw is so much better.
Lance.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Jhon, Morgansforever and the rest - I will work with the lighting a bit on the hot spot issues but as I am sure you know the when you have more diffuse lighting you lose contrast, and I feel contrast makes the coin look like it does in hand.
Lance - I will look into editing in RAW, but I have always felt that to much editing of coin photos can be, and in many cases is a bad thing.
So I will need to find a setup both in software and hardware that will allow me to address the issues but not over process the photos.
I agree that the above image is a little to noisy with the contrast being a little bit to high.
Thanks for the feedback, I hope to continue to improve and will post new photos when I feel the issues have been addressed.
(I have a feeling that shooting in raw could offer a large improvement, if I can find a program I can learn to use.)
<< <i>
Lance - I will look into editing in RAW, but I have always felt that to much editing of coin photos can be, and in many cases is a bad thing.
So I will need to find a setup both in software and hardware that will allow me to address the issues but not over process the photos.
>>
The pictures seem a little fuzzy to me. not sure what your resizing process is. Otherwise it may be from the original.
When you take a jpg, the camera does everything that you do with a RAW file, in a specific manner set nby the manufacturer of the camera. They are processing your photo, and probably not in a way that is best for coins. RAW allows you to customize things. It is a powerful tool that need to be used wisely and not overdone, but the results are generally a lot better when done right.
The top pictures are the best, just move the lighting a hair.
i think both have there place
the new one...better lighting thus reduction of shadows
your new one hides certain aspects of luster to me and is more focused on pinpoint accuracy displaying the die striations below luster
the old one
more shadows
better capture of the top surface "sheen" luster beholds
personally
to have both styles adds to completeness
are you to post some toner work too???
Photography is a series of tradeoffs, well illustrated by your two photos.
The first one is a bit "flat" looking to my eye. In other words, the lighting is very even and it doesn't really show the luster (which I presume is booming by the LDS and flow lines). It's a super photo, really highlighting the quality of the surfaces, and if the coin had some color it would make it really pop. These photos appear to me to be very much like Dr. Goodman's.
The second one shows the cartwheel and luster much better. More contrast in the coin itself. The photo "pops" visually to my eye. Of the two, I prefer this look -- however the capture (critical focus, for instance) is a bit off.
If you would combine the two photos -- the capture of the first with the lighting in the 2nd, the result may be even better.
But really, I'm splitting hairs, and it's photographer's (or viewer's) choice. Really wonderful pics!
Tell me, what were the differences between the two photos? It looks to my eye to be more than just lighting....Mike
p.s. you should consider going to raw, if only for it's better end product, setting aside editing capabilities The engine in Capture is better and more flexible than in-camera processing, and that alone can make a huge difference in the end product.
<< <i>Tell me, what were the differences between the two photos? It looks to my eye to be more than just lighting....Mike
p.s. you should consider going to raw, if only for it's better end product, setting aside editing capabilities The engine in Capture is better and more flexible than in-camera processing, and that alone can make a huge difference in the end product. >>
That is more or less the only change, I moved into RAW and moved the lights back a bit to reduce hotspots. Lower F-Stop number to get my exposure time lower to reduce vibration as I do not have a mirror lock.
are you to post some toner work too??
Was not going to post these but because you asked.
I just picked these up raw last week and am going to send them in to PCGS monday
<< <i>Not sure how much better either photo can get.
Photography is a series of tradeoffs, well illustrated by your two photos.
The first one is a bit "flat" looking to my eye. In other words, the lighting is very even and it doesn't really show the luster (which I presume is booming by the LDS and flow lines). It's a super photo, really highlighting the quality of the surfaces, and if the coin had some color it would make it really pop. These photos appear to me to be very much like Dr. Goodman's.
The second one shows the cartwheel and luster much better. More contrast in the coin itself. The photo "pops" visually to my eye. Of the two, I prefer this look -- however the capture (critical focus, for instance) is a bit off.
If you would combine the two photos -- the capture of the first with the lighting in the 2nd, the result may be even better. >>
I agree. Well put.
While I prefer the new over the old...they are simply better photographs IMO, some middle ground would be perfect.
You're doing great, James. And I'll bet you're having fun with it.
Lance.
excellent shot of um too...
thanx for posting
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution