These two photos are the same. The top photo is the actual photo taken. The bottom photo is the same picture with some photo editing. The second photo more accurately depicts what the coin looks like in hand. Is it ethical to post the second picture as more accurately depicting what the coin looks like?
With all photography, the goal is to make the coin look like it does in hand. If you need to modify lighting, use Photoshop, or whatever, you should always strive to make it looks like in person.
I don't see why not. I personally like the first photo better. The contrast/brightness look like they were adjusted too much on the second one.
I don't see any problem with adjusting brightness to (pardon the pun) reflect the coin's actual appearance. On the other hand, fooling around with contrast, saturation, etc. can be misleading (unless you are showing just a portion of a coin—and describe what imaging corrections have been done)
Actually the second photo washes out the coins surface and can't tell accurately the condition. I find lowering the brightness and adding a "touch" of contrast on your pictures PC program (editing pictures) can show the coin as seen "in hand"
There is no point doing anything that might result in an unhappy buyer, so don't gild the lily, but there is no reason to publish a picture that makes a coin, or anything, look less attractive then it looks in the flesh. Digital cameras themselves do some picture modification automatically, anyway, with white balance and exposure.
There are large areas of the second image that are blown out - jpeg values of 255,255,255. That's generally considered a photo no-no, and unless you're trying to picture the coin as shown in bright sunlight, is probably not a "good" representation. I'd say just shoot it again with more light, or just do less of a photoshop brightness adjustment to it.
Adjust the levels properly and you get this image. No trickery here, just post-processing the photo to be properly exposed.
It should be considered your responsibility to post an image that makes the coin look on the monitor as close to how it looks in-hand as is reasonably possible.
The first picture is pretty good. The second picture is just garish and cartoon-like. It looks overprocessed - frankly, if I see a picture like that in an auction, I think the seller is trying to hide something (or has no idea how to take a good picture). The third picture, tweaked by BRG, is by far the best of the lot. There is absolutely nothing wrong with tweaking brightness, saturation, contrast, or any of a hundred other buttons that photoshop will let you push - but don't ever take it too far. You want to present a coin that looks as close to in-hand as possible. Sometimes the camera will do all the work for you, sometimes you need to edit it a little.
I agree 100%. Unfortunately, there are too many who choose to use pictures that flatter the coin as much as possible instead of making it look as it actually does in hand.
Yeah, but I am betting those dealers are trading short term gain for long term customers. I know once I receive one or two coins that the seller did not provide representative photos that is the last order I ever place with him.New sellers might think there are unlimited amounts of buyers, but there are not. Most dealers, from what I hear, survive from their core customer base. This base is what a seller is risking with misleading photos.
And what about pics of coins that are just being shared with others ? What about pictures that are taken to specifically show toning that can only be seen if the coin is viewed from one specific angle ? There are lots of pictures taken and posted that have nothing to do with selling, what about those pictures ?
