Simplified Coin Photography - Part Four

Daylight versions of the twist type compact fluorescent bulbs vary greatly in terms of how well they replicate the full color spectrum. The best are rather good but my experience is that they do not last as long as advertised with frequent handling. I also suspect that they will be removed from the market eventually due to their mercury content. They remain. for the moment, my bulb of choice. My image shows two twist bulbs on gooseneck supports that allow adjusting to get desired results. The image also shows a ring fluorescent desklamp (bought at Staples) surrounding the lens. Either used by itself or combined with the twist bulbs, this light can give good results with high relief or high gloss coins. Due to its relative brightness compared to the twist bulbs, I have covered it with a single layer of white typing paper as a diffuser. Most of my photos use fewer than all three of the lights shown. Best results are achieved through trial and error and moving the lights around until a pleasing result is seen through the finder. Certainly all coins could be photographed with the same light placements but every coin is a little different and benefits from individual treatment for best results. My rig is used inside a closet simply to keep it out of the way and easily accessable. The image was made shooting straight up from the "coin's eye view".