My photo's often tend to make a coin look worse than it appears in person!
Meltdown
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This is a newp I picked up yesterday just for fun. In hand it's a pleasing, circulated dirty with just a tiny bit of luster remaining.
In the pictures, her rim bruises jump out all over the place, nicks ant ticks abound and it looks a little mushy and flat.
It's hell to get old ain't it?
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There's nothing worse than taking a coin and blowing it up on a 25" monitor. Lol I know how you feel!
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It's almost as if the cameras have become too good huh
Yes, exactly.
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Sometimes you need to do a little "touch-up" to give the coin the depth you see in-hand. Any camera takes a two-dimensional image that tends to flatten circulated coins shot from a single light source. If you use a simple editor and play with contrast, vibrancy, and saturation, you can get a circulated image with some depth and luster. This makes the coin image closer to the "snap" you see in-hand.
Go easy on yourself. Sometimes being older makes you too cynical. On the other hand, it also gives you the patience to try new things. Experiment with the photo editor to get your preferences. This is not "Photo-shopping" to enhance a coin, It is touching up a coin to make it match what you see in a three-dimensional world that has infinite lighting possibilities.. Go for it.
With a little "fiddling, not perfect but maybe more to your real view:
I suppose you're right. I do see the difference in contrast with your edits and it does add some depth.
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I agree, the pictures bring out the worst on a coin, but in reality, it's just what your eyes can not see. Anybody who criticizes a coin picture - has never taken coin photos. Because their coins have hits, marks and junk on them too.
WS
I am frustrated with the limitations of auto white balance in my DinoLite. I can shoot a perfectly white silver coin and it comes out yellowish. Hate post-processing it. Feels scummy doing that even if not really juicing it; just would like to present it as it really appears in hand. Sometimes the phone takes better photos.
@alefzero
I have uses a Reveal 40w Incandescent bulb close to the harsh white balance from the Dinolite to lower the color temp on the image. It is not perfect but better than the "washout" from the 5500K of the LEDs. Not perfect but a little "warmer".
I turn off the LEDs. Got table clip-on lamps from Target. I thought they said they were natural sunlight spectrum. Took lazy to use the Nikon on the copystand because I have it set up to shoot movie posters.
@alefzero
Good idea. Nice to have different image capabilities but, every time I get something all set up for a type of shot, the need for a new image comes along... I need 10 cameras, 5 copy stands, and 32 lights... but I can not afford that so I settle for a Dinolite digital microscope, an iPhone 7 mounted on a stereomicroscope and an old Pentax WG2 on a copy stand for full shots. You make do.
I have a special talent with coin pictures, I can make the slightest defect jump right out screaming at you.
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Always Experiment.
Another little tidbit......
Somethings look better from a distance.
Filters are cool,.
You can always delete the photo for the best result and its a free upgrade.
My real talent is NOT taking pictures... I excel at that....I thought I would try photography years ago... soon learned it was not one of my talents, nor did I have the patience...I sure like looking at good coin pictures though... Cheers, RickO
I hear you.
My first thought when I saw the thread title was "Welcome to the club!" lol