I posted this photo a while back in a thread on "your most beautiful photograph" on some such: Doug pointed out that it had some saturated highlights, which I had not noticed. I tried again today and I think it is better although I got some reddish lighting on parts from cfl bulbs across the room: I like this version better, but I think it can still be improved. Other than the red highlights, what am I doing wrong now? Which image do you like better? Post your photography successes, failures, tips and questions. John
I bought this coin from Empire Coins in the late 1980s for $325, the most I had ever spent on a coin at the time. Still one of my favorites.
what a beauty. i grabbed an uglier one last year, but was shocked to find how pretty she was in hand. i bet yours is gorgeous in hand, nice re-shoot by the way!
I would make the reverse just a bit darker to match the obverse. I am currently on a kick favorint lower contrast images of silver coins but that may be more a matter of preference than right/wrong. When I was taught portrait lighting on humans, I was told that it was preferable to have te brighter light on the short side of the face. That would suggest trying this coin with the lights reversed so the let side o the face was a bit lighter. I'm not saying the result would be better but only that I might try it and learn from what I see when comparing the two. Both of these were shot several years ago but I have not gotten around to reshooting them because I have so many worse ahead of them in line. Both have more contrast and glare than I might do today but silver coins can sparkle so I don't want to go too far.
it's a lovely coin man...dang. i practiced a bit of gimp editing on your second pic... of course i don't know what it looks like in hand, so just trying to make an image look "pretty".
here's one of mine, i'm sure everyone has noticed my annoying "yellow" glare from the lighting inside my house. i used gimp on this coin to try to reduce the saturation just in those very yellow areas, but not the whole coin. original... "remix"....
Love the obv. I have a few of the Larissa facing type; and a few of Thessalos restraining the bull. I haven't shot the Thessalos type, though.
It is a gorgeous coin that deserves a nice pic. Your re-shoot is definitively better than the original one! The toning and the metal are more attractive on this second shoot. This is mine (but the picture is from the seller):
I see you removed the red highlights, that is a big Iimprovement! That is very close to how it looks in hand. The toned areas are a little darker almost black. The toning really makes the coin.
Doug: I will try lighting it from different sides and see how that looks, good tip. I like how eveny lit your images are. No glare or highlights.
I love all of your coins ... oh, and you're all so much better than I am at Photo-graphin' ... => but Prokles' seller has the best skills (I like the looks of his coin) CNG?
Hey, I have a Larissa... given to me by a good friend! Thessaly Larissa 344-337 BCE AR Obol 0.68g Nymph Larissa Horse Grazing SNG Cop 1
Ummm, I'm unsure where this fine thread is headed? ... am I allowed/supposed to post my sweet Larissa photos? => yup, that's the way that I love 'em to look!! (fricken sweet!!)
Yes, CNG. As regards pictures of coins, they are among the bests (not like other 'pro' sellers that I will not say the names). They have also improved the quality of their pics over the time.