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Author Topic: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector  (Read 4390 times)

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Offline Lucas H

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Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« on: April 25, 2012, 09:44:39 am »
Ok, I've learned a little about ancient coins.  What I have not learned, is how to take, simple, but decent photographs.  I've read and reread Doug Smith's site, and much of that is assuming I have a base of knowledge that I do not.  I don't need coin photography 101, much less advanced or intermediate, what I need is coin photography for dummies.

I've seen others rigs.  I've developed a back background with a short dowel to raise the coin.  No copy stand, but a good tripod.  I use natural lighting- well lit, sunny room, but out of the direct light.  I have a Sony DSLR-A100, but don't know anything about photography beyond point and shoot.

Below is a dealer pic, and my best shot at the same of I coin I recently received that has not even made it in my gallery yet.  My pictures are no longer embarrassing as they once were, but the difference here leaves something to be desired.  The beard on the portrait, and the star and annulet on the reverse are the details I wanted to highlight.  Is the difference here the lightning, or more than that? 

  Is there any help for me?  Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

Offline Steve E

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2012, 12:32:16 pm »
Your photo with some post processing. Could probably be tweeked more ;)

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Offline dougsmit

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2012, 09:37:13 pm »
Try using light that bounces all around the room or at least comes from a higher angle so it does not hit the coin at such a low angle.  Outside in open shade or inside next  to a north facing window might look better.  Experiment.

Offline Bobicus

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2012, 01:16:56 am »
Your pictures aren't bad, but here are some ideas to do better:

1) Either pull your lamps back, or cover them with something translucent so that the glare and reflection is reduced.

2) Check the white balance on your camera and make sure that it understands the lighting source you are using, or set it yourself.  You can also change color balance in a post processing step.

Hope this helps.
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Offline Bobicus

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2012, 01:25:25 am »
I took a crack at post processing your image also.  I color adjusted it, and applied a medium sharpen filter.

They create a desert and call it prosperity.

Offline Lucas H

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2012, 01:40:30 pm »
Thanks for the replies and advice.

Quote
Try using light that bounces all around the room or at least comes from a higher angle so it does not hit the coin at such a low angle.  Outside in open shade or inside next  to a north facing window might look better.  Experiment

I will try this.  My usual place is inside next to south facing windows, just out of the direct light.  The angle is dependent on the time of day. 

Quote
Either pull your lamps back, or cover them with something translucent so that the glare and reflection is reduced

After getting this color in my only attempts at lamps: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-65285, I have gone to the I am a spammer light for now.  I always intend to get a daylight balance LED as described by Doug Smith, but have not yet.  The bad color in the example above was obtained from regular bulbs. 

Quote
Your photo with some post processing

I need to spend time on this.  Thanks Steve for sending me a PM with some ideas.  I do not have such a program, but will get one and experiment with using it. 

Offline areich

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2012, 01:58:22 pm »
You can use any one light source you want, you just need to set the white balance. Mixing light sources can be a problem.
Andreas Reich

Offline Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2012, 05:54:19 pm »
Part of the problem is the strongly directional lighting, straight in the emperor's face.
Robert Brenchley

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Offline Lucas H

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2012, 07:16:21 am »
Additional Help Please.

I'm still struggling with the lighting  :' (My attempts at artificial light ended badly.  See Hadrian here with a bad orange/pink tint using 100 watt incandescent bulb:  https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-65287.  (off the topic, this was my one purchase from my local coin shop where he has had the same 10 ancient coins for the last 15 years I've been going there to buy American coins). 

As the topic implies, I'm remedial with photography at all levels.  I never learned to use a camera properly beyond point and shoot.  Thinks like adjusting the white balance, and after shot processing are lost on me at this point. 

Since the pink/orange series above, I've been using strong indirect sun light.  I don't have good north facing windows, but a good area with south facing windows, and here in the south, in the summer, this results in strong indirect, but not direct, light.  The vast majority of my Flavian and 12 Caesar coins in my gallery were shot in this way, and I'm happy with some of the results, but not the lack of consistency.  I'm also limited by timing- daytime, certain times of day, and only if it's not cloudy.  I've actually snuck out of work (self employed anyway), knowing it was a good time and clear, to shoot a few coins and go back.

Mr. Smith's advice:
Quote
Experiment.
, and that's what I've been doing, still with my natural light, since starting this thread.

Yesterday's results on Vespasian
 
1.  Indirect sunlight, but the silver is very dark.
2.  I tried direct sunlight against advice.  The result isn't perfect, but better than the first in my opinion.
3.  Dealer photo.  My aspiration, but after pondering this on my own before reading a thread, I believe by Mr. Smith, on white versus black backgrounds, I personally prefer the black background on the silver coins.  I know the dealer/photographer is a professional, and I know they are not waiting for a sunny day, but that would be my aspiration. 

Any more help/advice, and again, not at an advanced, but basic level.  And yes, I am getting a daylight balance LED to experiment with per Mr. Smith's discussion, but I still want to figure it out without that as well.   

Offline Lucas H

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2012, 07:36:01 am »
Ok, and the attachments:

Offline Lucas H

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2012, 07:40:18 am »
Ok, I'm having trouble getting the right dealer photo, but you get the idea.  As you can see, between work, family, and hobby, I get scatter brained.  I'm just saying

4to2CentBCphilia

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2012, 09:10:00 am »
Try using light that bounces all around the room or at least comes from a higher angle so it does not hit the coin at such a low angle.  Outside in open shade or inside next  to a north facing window might look better.  Experiment.

I agree with outside in open shade or on cloudy days. Shoot early morning or late afternoon.

Use a tripod, macro setting on the camera, bracket the photos a half stop (in effect three shots 1/2 stop high, normal exposure, 1/2 stop low) and rotate the coin 45 degrees and reshoot, repeat 7 more times. You will have 24 photos of your coin with the light coming from 8 different angles. Hopefully one of the 24 shots will work. Sometimes you will need to adjust the contrast and brigthness.

I also found that placing a piece of a toothpick of two under one side to give the coin the slightest angle, can dramatically change the shadowing and can also pick up the colors you see in some coins as you tilt them in the sun (they can lose this in a flat, head on photo from above)

Shooting indoors next to a window can pose problems depending on the glass in the window. The glass can tint the lighting imperceptibly to the eye, but it can be evident in the photos.

Dealer photos often show perfect details but seem lifeless, often different than what they look like in hand.

My greatest challenge has been to get perfect focus.....but I am using macro on a mid-range (price) 18-200mm lens instead of a dedicated macro lens.

The process sounds tedious, but it is rather quick and I find it fun.


a couple examples










BTW there is a program that allows you to weave the 3 bracketed photos into one photo. I have a friend who uses it alot for landscape photography. It eliminates the worse of each photo (under-over exposed areas). I have not tried it yet, but might.

BR

Mark


Offline PeterD

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Re: Remedial Coin Photography for new collector
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2012, 12:16:11 pm »
Quote from: Lucas H on May 25, 2012, 07:16:21 am

As the topic implies, I'm remedial with photography at all levels.  I never learned to use a camera properly beyond point and shoot.  Thinks like adjusting the white balance, and after shot processing are lost on me at this point. 


I suggest you take time to read your camera manual to find out about white balance. If you have a reasonably good camera you should be able get a good balance every time. Incandescent lights give a redder light than natural light and other types of lights are different again. Do not mix lighting sources or you will never achieve a balance.

Forget about post processing for the time being. You can never put in detail that is not there in the first place. When you can get reasonable pictures straight from the camera, then is the time to add the final touches with post processing.
Peter, London

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