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Photo Critique?
zas107
Posts: 831 ✭✭✭
Would love some constructive criticism. What do you all think of these photos? And while you are at it feel free to guess what it was graded prior to cracking out (it was in an old green PCI holder)
2
Comments
XF45. The color of the photo is way off and the coin itself is overexposed. I want to see browns, not grays.
Too much blue and washed out
I hope that the photo is way off because if the coin really looks like that I would hope that PCI called it QC recolored due to all the violet color in the photo.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Either the color is way off, or the coin is cleaned and retoned (or both). The light could stand to be a bit harsher to create a bit more contrast and better show the details. But first and foremost, get the white balance set.
The obverse is really messed up. I'm seeing doubles of everything.......
Focus is good. Usually, that's the biggest problem. Light distribution is OK, but could be maybe better. I like a small bit of the coin (<1%) to be completely white-saturated and a small part to be a bit dark. Low contrast circulated copper is tough for me to shoot well. Diffused, indirect lighting is often the best.
The biggest issue, as others have said, is color. The white balance is off. As for grade, I don't see much luster and I really want to see at least a little in most XF coins. I'd guess XF40/VF35, but if others disagree it's just me being picky. Cool coin.
Ops colors seem a bit off. Good detail though. I wish I could get pics this good of some of my stuff.
I’m sure it wasn’t intentional, but I think it’s bad form to show and ask that in the midst of this thread. If you want feedback on YOUR imaging, it would be better to start your own thread, rather than risk hijacking this one.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
What equipment are you using? Camera, lens, lighting, etc?
Are you shooting as JPEG, TIFF, or RAW files?
The information may help with directing constructive comments.
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
Color... custom white balance off a gray card or fabric.
Focus looks spot on.
Bracket your exposures.
Every coin is different and hard to tell from a tiny screen on back of camera correct exposure.
Both bracketing and WB can be done in camera prior to shooting and saves alot of post production.
A gray card is like $5
Shoot raw.
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Thanks everyone! I adjusted the exposure and white balance, how do these look?
Much Better!
I think that the grade is AU-53. I have a similar one a tad better with hint of red on it.
Now it looks good. I will stick with my XF45 grade estimate.
The second photos look much better, if they match the actual appearance.
I would guess PCI gave it an EF-45 or AU-50.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
That such a dramatic improvement over the earlier version in this thread and the 1854 Arrows quarter in your previous thread, that I’m going to guess it’s a Proof.😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
These photos are significantly better. They show how a few settings done right (or wrong) can have a huge impact on the quality of an image.
Thanks to all! I'll try a silver coin next. PCI had graded this an xf40 and I like it is an AU53.
The pictures look great, especially after you fixed the color balance.
Nice coin!
Mr_Spud
Much better.
Huge improvement ...so glad you listened to us. Guess the grade....I'm terrible at this part...looks "good" to me!!!
Wow. Nice adjustment in the 2nd pic. Looks much better.
Just a smidge better LOL.
Forgive my ignorance but could you please tell what is means to bracket an exposure?
Yes let's say your camera says shutter speed is 1/60th a second for proper exposure.
1/30th would be +1 (doubles light)
1/125th would be -1 (cuts light in half)
Most cameras will let you set it to shoot bracketed exposures.
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Forgot to quote you.
You are just adding and subtracting light after you determine your original exposure.
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Bracketing is commonly done in areas of photography where you have bright and dark areas. By taking three (or more) shots at different exposures, you get—in separate shots—the details of the very dark areas by overexposing (but the bright areas are washed out), the details of the bright areas by underexposing (the details of the dark areas are super dark), and the rest of the details in the properly exposed shot. Software can then merge the exposures into one frame and you can adjust the photo to show the desired details in the dark and light areas, where, if just exposing to one part of the brightness range, you’d lose details elsewhere.
With all that said, I routinely bracket landscape shots (think bright sky and dark, shadowy foreground), but see no reason at all to do this with coin shots where the light is easily controlled.
Thank you yspsales and airplanenut!
Presentation really shows the error in its text image ( s,) LOL)
Next move would be to trap its color to your or our liking.
Oh, ? That's why were here.
The reflections on the upper, maybe, are showing to much light and angle.
Satisfy yourself first.
Just thinking out loud.
Now that I'm at a computer, here's an example where I used bracketing. If I properly exposed the sky to get the cloud detail, the foreground would be super dark. If I properly exposed for the foreground, the whole sky would be blown out bright. So three shots were taken and merged, and then I had access to all the details throughout the shot.
What APNut said
Photography in Latin is "bending light"
Watch some YT vids on product photography.
Don't get discouraged with red cents or a Morgan dollars.
Much more reflective vs a Brown cent... but you nailed the 55DDO
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