New coin, new to coin photography. Opinions?

I have just received a new purchase for an NGC slabbed MS66 1880 S Morgan dollar. I have been playing around with coin photography. And this is the first MS66 Morgan I own. So I was looking for others opinions. I feel like my pictures are better than the previous sellers. And I have 2 LED lights currently. But am wondering if halogen would do better? This coin in hand displays a sort of rainbow cartwheel luster that I can't quite get in the picture. The first 2 pictures are the previous sellers and the last 4 are mine. The blow ups are the same picture cropped from the full slab.

 

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I’d prefer perpendicular to the camera and not angled.

nice coin!

 

Concentrate more on the coin, less on the slab. Do you have a DSLR and macro lens? Good lighting? Good stand?

 

I don't see any toning that would be significant enough to write home about.

 

I just have a S9+. I have no tripod or anything.

 

What is an S9+

 

Cell phone, Samsung galaxy s9+

 

That's what I thought, but wanted to be sure. For taking coin photos with a cell phone, place a water glass or some other container (can of beans) on the table and lay the phone on it with the lens over the edge. Place the coin (I like some white or black paper backdrop) where it can be seen through the phone lens and adjust lighting to look good. Take the photo from the still, stabilized phone. Crop using the phone software...

 

Your pictures are surprisingly good for a cell phone camera, so that's good.

As another poster already mentioned, it is absolutely key to make sure the coin is perfectly perpendicular to the camera. What you have in your picture is areas which are in focus, and areas which are out of focus. Lining it up for a straight shot will help with that.

The other thing which may instantly help is adding a second light. You have one light, but that leaves areas of the coin quite dark. Try adding a second lamp on the other side, and that should more evenly illuminate what appears to be a very nice coin.

 

Cheap point and shoot cameras can take decent photos too if you don't want to invest too heavily into photography.

 

Yes, I have two lights but the second is a lamp that I can't position. I have ordered a halogen desk lamp with pivoting head like my led on the left in these pictures. I think it might be a stunning combination with the two types of light

 

I do a lot of nature photography. And I actually specialize somewhat amateur with photographing covered bridges and the scenery around them. So I have outdoors experience. But this little coin is new to me

 

LITTLE COIN wait till you see some on here!

 

I take these with a 8 year old DSLR, $50 eBay macro lens and 2 $10 Walmart LED lamps on a tri-Pod in my kitchen.

 

Very nice!

 

Straight on! Playing with a second led light. And using this dragon knick knack for a camera stand

 

Insert them here as fullsize rather than the thumbnail.

I think the phone camera is doing some sort of autocorrection/filter or something causing the surface to look grainy. I have to turn that off when I use my iphone.

 

Pretty good for a phone

 

I found that this scene optimizer was turned on. I'll have to try some more with that off maybe.