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What a difference in photography -- Post yours

I was looking through the upcoming Legend auction and saw this coin. The first photo said "wow" to me, and the second said "meh". Post your coin(s) that looked much better in one photo and rather worse in another.

Comments

  • topstuftopstuf Posts: 14,803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Those orange-ish photos are a turn off to me.

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  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2019 9:33AM

    Doesn't even look like the same coin as the peripheral diagonal streaky toning in the slab shot seems to be mostly missing.

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  • GluggoGluggo Posts: 3,566 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2019 10:59AM

    Can someone explain how the 1st picture was able to capture the glowing of the coin? Was there special lights or maybe a colored background.
    I do have some pictures that when I bought them they look much different when in my hand. But then I think that is the splendor of photography. TYIA.

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,822 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Photoshop.

  • SeattleSlammerSeattleSlammer Posts: 10,049 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Broadstruck said:
    Doesn't even look like the same coin as the peripheral diagonal streaky toning in the slab shot seems to be mostly missing.

    It’s definitelty the same coin. Look at the toning areas above the cap and above Lib’s head.

  • robecrobec Posts: 6,853 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2019 12:58PM

    From the HA auction in 2009.


  • davids5104davids5104 Posts: 805 ✭✭✭✭

    GC does this quite a bit... Where the coin and the GC photo look substantially different. Perhaps capturing the "real color" of dark toning is why there is such a difference? I like the true views better and the actual second image of the seated liberty I like better

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  • GluggoGluggo Posts: 3,566 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2019 5:09PM

    1st picture is from the seller, his picture glows.
    Must be the lighting and background.

    My attempt to take a picture of the same coin

    Had to rotate right first, dont ask my why

    1 more shot raw

  • OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My photography skills suck out loud.

  • @robec said:
    From the HA auction in 2009.

    Big difference! Obverse HA photo no color and little detail vs the really nice true view.
    Reverse HA looks like carbon spots; none evident in the true view.

  • jabbajabba Posts: 3,176 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That’s why true view is done out of the plastic light traveling through plastic will bend and change I don’t like seeing a nice auction house photo then getting the coin and it’s like what happened to that nice looking coin? 🤔

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2019 12:26PM

    @jabba said:
    That’s why true view is done out of the plastic light traveling through plastic will bend and change I don’t like seeing a nice auction house photo then getting the coin and it’s like what happened to that nice looking coin? 🤔

    While taking photos out of slabs is easier, some photographers do wonders with coins in slabs. When comparing against Heritage, I think it’s more about comparing a low cost photo be and expensive one vs in and out of slab.

  • illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The difference in the images in the above examples is NOT because of editing in Photoshop or other manipulation of the images. It's also not about light going through crystal clear plastic.

    It's just a difference in lighting. If the light is reflecting right off the surface of the coin back to the lens, it'll look different than if it's tilted away just a bit.

    For example, take any mirrored proof coin you have and look at it with the light shining right back to your eyes. The fields will look white. If you tilt it away, the fields look black. Same effect happens with toned coins, where you can see a totally different look and it's all about lighting.

  • illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭

    To illustrate the effect of lighting, here's a quick video I did awhile back of a Proof Seated Half. You'll see the golden background look when tilted into the light, then the silver color when tilted away... same coin, no photoshop or other editing involved.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmuBnW1tE5U
  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2019 2:08PM

    I feel very strongly that a coin photo should convey how it looks in hand. As a collector I appreciate that. If you take a picture of a coin, compare it to the coin in hand. If they don't look at least very similiar, take another one.

    Images that make a coin appear unrealistically "glamorous" are not necessary and, if used as a selling point, a bit nefarious in my opinion.

    Edit to add: if a coin looks different under different angles and lighting, like in the case of a cameo or some types of toning,etc., a seller can provide multiple pictures for comparison purposes- but please do not make any of the images "fake".

  • illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @thisistheshow said:
    I feel very strongly that a coin photo should convey how it looks in hand. As a collector I appreciate that. If you take a picture of a coin, compare it to the coin in hand. If they don't look at least very similiar, take another one.

    Images that make a coin appear unrealistically "glamorous" are not necessary and, if used as a selling point, a bit nefarious in my opinion.

    What if both pictures accurately represent what the coin looks like in hand... I think they do. Coins are 3D reflective objects... a single 2D photo can't show it all.

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @illini420 said:

    @thisistheshow said:
    I feel very strongly that a coin photo should convey how it looks in hand. As a collector I appreciate that. If you take a picture of a coin, compare it to the coin in hand. If they don't look at least very similiar, take another one.

    Images that make a coin appear unrealistically "glamorous" are not necessary and, if used as a selling point, a bit nefarious in my opinion.

    What if both pictures accurately represent what the coin looks like in hand... I think they do. Coins are 3D reflective objects... a single 2D photo can't show it all.

    @illini420 said:

    @thisistheshow said:
    I feel very strongly that a coin photo should convey how it looks in hand. As a collector I appreciate that. If you take a picture of a coin, compare it to the coin in hand. If they don't look at least very similiar, take another one.

    Images that make a coin appear unrealistically "glamorous" are not necessary and, if used as a selling point, a bit nefarious in my opinion.

    What if both pictures accurately represent what the coin looks like in hand... I think they do. Coins are 3D reflective objects... a single 2D photo can't show it all.

    I just edited my> @illini420 said:

    @thisistheshow said:
    I feel very strongly that a coin photo should convey how it looks in hand. As a collector I appreciate that. If you take a picture of a coin, compare it to the coin in hand. If they don't look at least very similiar, take another one.

    Images that make a coin appear unrealistically "glamorous" are not necessary and, if used as a selling point, a bit nefarious in my opinion.

    What if both pictures accurately represent what the coin looks like in hand... I think they do. Coins are 3D reflective objects... a single 2D photo can't show it all.

    I just edited my comment to address that- good point.

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @illini420 if the image reflects what I can see with my eyes it is fine, but I feel like some of the TruViews or auction pics show a coin that no amount of lighting or angling will ever re-create unless it is in a "studio".

  • CatbertCatbert Posts: 7,600 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 23, 2019 4:35PM

    I have a couple of TVs that are not accurate depictions of the coins. As such, I will not use them in my registry.

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  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Legend uses true view images for most of its listings (when available). If you pull the certification number in the PCGS verification tool, Legend used PCGS's True View photos for the close-ups.

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Catbert said:
    I have a couple of TVs that are not accurate depictions of the coins. As such, I will not use them in my registry.

    True Views are all over the place. I have seen some that are spot on and some that make a coin look worse. I have also seen some that are glamour shots like the photo in the initial post. I don't care for the juiced looking ones either.

  • ElmerFusterpuckElmerFusterpuck Posts: 4,793 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I like good accurate photos, but a good quick video of the coin, twirling around the obverse and reverse does do wonders in optimal lighting. I've done that on my Instagram page off and on - it does take a little practice to get it right.

  • Rob41281Rob41281 Posts: 2,402 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This coin was listed with the sellers pics. Seeing the gold shield I figured it had a trueview.


  • mvs7mvs7 Posts: 1,662 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Had a similar recent purchase on eBay where the seller's pics did not include a TrueView, and before bidding I went and checked to see if there was one...

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