Imaging Proofs
Boosibri
Posts: 12,330 ✭✭✭✭✭
I purchased a very rare dark side proof the other day and was wondering if any of the photography experts had any advice on imaging proofs to bring out the contrast and mirrors of the coin.
Reimagine the proof, much better now.
Reimagine the proof, much better now.
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An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Send it to PCGS for a TrueView photo, you will get a great photo!
That is the last resort but probably the most efficient and effective option. Living in Europe it is a bit of a pain to send to Newport Beach and I would like to improve my skills. Paris doesn't do Trueviews to my knowledge thou the benefit of being able to mix US and world coins is definitely a benefit.
Latin American Collection
http://macrocoins.com
Latin American Collection
This is actually one of my better images using a black back drop cloth, it's not perfect, but...;
Shiny mirrors I always wind up getting a reflection of my camera.
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Cover one eye (your camera probably only has one lens) and look at the coin with lighting similar in number and quality to what you'll use with your camera, for example, one or two overhead lights if you plan on using a couple lamps, or a diffusely lit room if you want to try a diffuse light tent. Move around and tip the coin until it looks like you want it, then stop and look at where the coin is in relation to the lights. Try and duplicate this under the camera. Say, "Hmmm..." to yourself a few times as you try to get it to work, then take the picture when you do.
If the coin is heavy enough, tilt it in the slab by banging the lower edge of the face of the slab against a surface, but not hard enough to break the slab. This way, you can have the lights backed away from being directly overhead and mitigate some of the glare problem that rears its ugly head when trying to get bright mirrors.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Slabbed or raw?
Raw Irish half crown VIP presentation piece. Mintage of about 5.
Latin American Collection
Here are a couple examples with those settings. I'm an amateur and still learning.
Check out my iPhone app SlabReader!
With both tilted the same degree there's no focusing softness on the coin when shot at an angle.
Tilt wise it's just takes something as thick as a credit card.
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Raw Irish half crown VIP presentation piece. Mintage of about 5.
Ahhhh.... raw proof. Much easier. Straight-on diffuse light plus an accent to pick up some specular highlights. Take a piece of paper and cut or tear a hole in it so you can put it on the lens like a big reflector. Aim one light up at the camera, which will get you a diffuse reflection from the paper to the coin. Since proofs are very contrasty, you want to knock down the contrast with diffusion. Take the other light and aim it at the coin from farther away than normal and at a lower angle than normal, and position it so you get some of the specular bits you want.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
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mach1ne, that quarter looks like a petri dish.
The photos of his toned proofs are excellent, even if the quarter has a Listeria culture growing on it! Toned proofs are the one thing I have the hardest time imaging.
Latin American Collection
And take the picture outdoors where there is plenty of light all around.
Latin American Collection
Here is a picture of the only old gold Proof I have. When see this coin live, it looks better. It is a cameo and the fields don't have any frost.
Latin American Collection