Coin Photography - How to Achieve This Effect
dipset512
Posts: 226 ✭✭✭
When I view coins on GreatCollections, sometimes they will have two GreatPhoto's with different effects. Does anyone know what this is called or what setting you'd adjust in image editing software? Specifically, the second photo.
If I take photos, the colors will show closer to this:
I'd like to know how to achieve this effect:
1
Comments
It’s all about the position of the lights. Here’s an example of a coin I photographed with the lights at different angles.
Mr_Spud
Or, a slight adjustment to the coin itself if the camera and lights are in a fixed position.
Ah, so it's about lighting and not image editing. Thanks!
that's definitely not image editing
Some call it axial lighting
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Axial lighting (bottom) versus diffuse (top). I'd imagine they have various custom filters too.
@PCGSPhoto is good about lurking the photography related posts, so you may get an expert answer soon enough.
ohhh.... pcgsphoto is not pcgsphot anymore. he can't be since he eloped to great collections taking greatphotos.
i wouldn't expect any pro coin photog to tell you their secrets
PCGS doesn't have any answers or experts anymore. I doubt the staff even collects coins. It sure seems that way.
I may apply then. Slip a fiver in with your submission and those labels are your canvas. "Wide AM Quarter you say? Looks like it to me!"
It is axial lighting, created by using sheet of glass and reflecting light from the side straight down onto the coin.
Non-axial:
Axial:
You might have to do that for them to properly identify something obvious like a 1955 DDO Lincoln. Otherwise, they will ignore what was clearly written on the submission sheet, change the coin name and number to that for a 1955 normal date. They did that to me with a very conspicuous 1855/54 overdate (EDS WB-1). They never contacted me to ask me what the coin was. They just changed it themselves and then told CS that the coin was identified properly. So, I got some brief, snarky response from CS and went ballistic. Thank goodness for PCGS_HY
They do NOT have a competent numismatist on their staff, or they would have performed the reed count that I EXPLICITLY ASKED FOR when I submitted my 1840-O WB-11, 146 reeds (R6) half dollar. It came back labeled as just another "WB-11 Large O," which is an R2. That was $60 worth of grading and attribution fees down the drain.
Have I mentioned their Trueviews? ...
I've found three more misidentified 1855/54 overdates in PCGS holders since that incident. One was recently auctioned off by Heritage on December 22, though it does not have as conspicuous an overdate as the EDS WB-1 I submitted. To be fair, I also found one in an NGC holder off GC.
Just for fun, here’s recent Greatphoto’s of the same coin I posted pictures of earlier. I sold the coin recently at Great Collections. My photos of the same coin were from about 15 years ago when I bought the coin raw.
Mr_Spud
@dipset512 said,
Ah, so it's about lighting and not image editing.
Image editing is NEVER recommended when presenting a true photograph.
Contrast , Sharpness and a few other adjustments should not to be referred to as image editing .
WHEN USED CORRECTLY. ( Long story )
These are tools to sometimes compensate what a camera lacks, or is not up to par.
Sometimes, just a flashlight is enough to show the coin's true image, or maybe your curiosity,
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
Same coin different lighting.
