Photographing ancients

Thought it would be good to open up discussion on photo graphing ancients, especially since there so much I don't know. So take it in any direction you all would like too


I'll start off with a couple pictures. Both inspired by DS

heres one of Constans with other coins in the background.




Heres another (Septimius Severus) one playing with the angle of lighting.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Heres my set up :yes:

edit:The camera I use is a Kodak easy share.

The Compact fluorescent is a white day light. I'll also use daylight fro some.



Not the best set up for every coin though, but its easy to play with.



Heres some of my photos with the setup.

 

I really have nothing to add.

Great shots, Randy! Very impressive!:thumb::thumb::thumb:

 

What kind of KODAK EASYSHARE? There are so many kinds. Also, what is that stick you have where you put the coin on? Does it damage the coin?

I like your coin shots.

 

Thank you I only fallowed the advice of people at cointalk for forvm (edit: hopefully they'll chyme in) well... no one mentioned using a cool whip bowl XD

 

Thanks A hot Gluegun stick and camera is a dx4530

 

I use Tupperware.:whistle:

 

:hail:

 

Randy I like the way you used the stick & swirl of coins behind the Constantine.

 

I have used hot melt glue to mount the dowel rods I use as a prop but never thought of using the glue itself. I flop back and forth regarding the best shade of an edge reflector/bowl. Some coins seem fake looking with too much reflection so a middle gray works better but white or even silver has struck me at other times according to the coin and directionality of the main light. Every photo is a new experience and every day brings a new opinion to my fickle nature. We each have our favorites.

 

thanks

Allot of trial and error for me with a 60-90% failure rate for an ok pic, depending on the coin. One thing I'm trying to figure out is photographing glossy or rainbow toned coins.

 

Nice results.

Q

 

The pictures of the coins are perfect; nice work!

My only critique would be since you're using a single light source from an angle, it's creating a shadow of the stick in every background. You can raise your light to where it is the closest possible distance to your lens or try adding another light to washout the shadows. Again, this is trivial, as the purpose of a coin image is to capture the beauty of the coin which you have done.

-LTB

 

Thanks I'm sure you know where I got the idea for that last photo

Thanks I've tried that but have not been able to get good photos, I could probably just switch to a black background to help solve that though.

 

As you know I prefer black but if you want shadow free colored backgrounds you can try my system using an old refrigerator tray with glass on top. The dowel (or glue stick of your choice) goes on the glass. My photo shows white paper on the bottom but you can use blue (if you must). You might want a bit lighter blue paper on the bottom than you want in the photo since it tends to darken when farther from the lights.


Why stop at paper? Below the glass you could put photos or a pile of the rest of your coins - anything you want to be out of focus in the background.

 

I really like that photo.

 

Is this a good time to ask why we photograph coins? One obvious reason is to help sell them but I rather rarely sell coins mostly because the coins I would let go are mostly what you don't want to buy. I have traded with a couple of you but selling has less appeal.

My main use is to know what coins look like even when I have not seen the coin for several years due to them being in the bank box. This carries as a side effect being able to post photos of every coin I now own, 95% of all coins I ever owned and quite a few I never owned but shot for friends. This come in handy answering questions on this list since I have a lot of the common coins in my photo files. If you ask questions about rare and expensive coins, you are much less likely to hear from me.

Similarly, I have used photos to give a few programs to coin clubs and illustrate a few articles in magazines (starting with the 'Voice of the Turtle' in 1966).

As a decoration in my house I have exactly one coin photo and it has been there for eight years. I'm too lazy to take it down and don't feel the need to add more.

Why do you photograph coins?

 

It's funny, being an ex-pro photographer, I haven't even considered photographing my coins in a professional manner. All my pics are for posting on the forums. I have a simple set-up, just good enough for me to take pictures quickly to get them posted.

And, like Doug, the pics are a record of what I have and I don't have to head off to the bank to see what I have. I haven't photographed every single coin I own but I have a pretty good representation.

 

VERY nice...............

 

Definitely some the same reasons as both of you. Definitely more convienent and a good record and way to keep track of what you have. It helps to share them with others (not many off line people here really like coins in general let a lone ancients).

But its kinda of like another hobby I can do.

Thanks