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OK, photo nuts, how do you do a circular crop?
BryceM
Posts: 11,853 ✭✭✭✭✭
I'm slowly going off the deep end when it comes to coin photography. I really enjoy looking at coins against a black background (especially gold) so I've adopted the more-or-less standard format like this:
To get to this point, I import the three different photos (obverse, reverse, slab insert) to PhotoShop Elements, use the donut or circular "cookie-cutter" tool to create a circular black ring around the border of the coin, use the magic wand tool to cut the coin to a new layer and then duplicate the layer to my final working file top merge the three photos together:
Is there a more efficient way to do a circular crop?
To get to this point, I import the three different photos (obverse, reverse, slab insert) to PhotoShop Elements, use the donut or circular "cookie-cutter" tool to create a circular black ring around the border of the coin, use the magic wand tool to cut the coin to a new layer and then duplicate the layer to my final working file top merge the three photos together:
Is there a more efficient way to do a circular crop?
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Latin American Collection
Turn on rulers. pull a horizontal guide to the top edge of the coin and a vertical guide to the left edge. Use the elliptical marquee and a fixed ratio of 1:1. Position your cursor where the guides intersect and drag the circle down and to the right until the coin is outlined. Copy (Ctrl-C), create a new image (Ctrl-N), paste (Ctrl-V), resize to your template size (Alt-Ctrl-I), then select all (Ctrl-A), copy (Ctrl-C) and paste to your template (Ctrl-V). If you save a template for reuse, you can save it with guides that make it easy to snap the images to the same place every time. If you typically do sharpening or something after resizing to the template size, then you can save the resizing plus sharpening as an action. The whole sequence of compositing your pictures to a standard format comes down to just a few keystrokes and a few mouse actions, and becomes quite fast once you get the hang of it.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Thanks! That was EXACTLY what I was looking for. It's amazing how many ways there are to do something. One or both of these techniques (or a combination) will make this a bit more efficient. The method I was using didn't always result in a pefect circle. It's amazing how powerful this software is, if you can learn it all.
<< <i>I use PhotoScape (Free) and use the "crop round image" selection. >>
Same here........PhotoScape is the best FREE Photo program I have found, very easy to use
Coin Club Benefit auctions ..... View the Lots
<< <i>
<< <i>I use PhotoScape (Free) and use the "crop round image" selection. >>
Same here........PhotoScape is the best FREE Photo program I have found, very easy to use >>
I just downloaded it last night and it does exactly what I need.
My icon IS my coin. It is a gem 1949 FBL Franklin.
There's a circle icon thingy, and you basically drag it over the image (coin) you want to crop. Then select "Copy", open a "New" window, and then click "Paste as New Layer".
Sorry, I'm not photo editing software savvy, so forgive my less-then-professional terminology.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
photoscape and paint.net
technically paint.net isn't a circle crop as you delete the background by clicking it and deleting and select a color for the transparent background.
.
The image was cropped very tight. If you look closely at the cropped image remnants of the prongs are still there.
If you didn't know it was slabbed, in a current PCGS holder, you would think it was raw.
Nice job imaging BryceM. The DE is about as good as it gets. Very clean n crisp image, excellent work!
<< <i>BustHalfBrian - How did you get rid of the prongs on your circle crop? That looks really good. >>
Exactly what morgansforever said - they're still there, you've just gotta squint. I chose to sacrifice some of the dentil details in the image to remove more of the prongs.
I could have opened the crop circle a little wider, but those prongs annoy me, so I decided to ditch 'em... but at the same time losing some of the coin.
It's whatever you prefer.
Great job shooting that 79, I'm guessing S mint. You really captured it. 64PL?
<< <i>I use Picasa and use the circular border which does the task. >>
I didn't know this was possible in Picasa, and I will elaborate a bit on how to do this.
First, you must crop you image square (otherwise you'll end up with an ellipse instead of a circle.
Next, choose border (in the last of Picasa editing tabs) and drag your corner radius all the way to the right.
You'll probably want to drag your inner thickness all the way to left to eliminate, and set outer thickness and color where you like.
<< <i><<I could have opened the crop circle a little wider, but those prongs annoy me, so I decided to ditch 'em... but at the same time losing some of the coin.>>
Great job shooting that 79, I'm guessing S mint. You really captured it. 64PL? >>
Thanks!
And it's actually just 65 (no PL). Bought it raw out of a B&M in Vegas for $45.00 early last year. Sold in on eBay not long after, and the winning bid belonged to a forum member (if my memory serves me right).
Here's the reverse, in case you were curious. IMO, the coin deserves a "PL" designation... but whatever. I made out well PL or not.
Hoard the keys.