[Poll] Which set of images do you like the best? (1989 ASE)

Hope you are all looking forward to a relaxing fall weekend. I got a bit bored and decided to play around with imaging a nice ASE (one I've had it sitting around in one of those birthday clamshell holders) - thought I'd share the images and see if folks had a preference.

Feel free to vote in the attached poll (multiple selections are allowed, so if you like two much more than the other two, you can vote for both) or share your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks, and have a wonderful weekend.

Image Set #1



Image Set #2



Image Set #3



Image Set #4



EDIT: Added 3 new sets of images 10/10/2020

Image Set #5



Image Set #6



Image Set #7

​

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Honestly, I prefer #1 the best: It's well focused, really shows off the booming luster well, and you get just enough of the golden caramelly goodness to appreciate it.

 

I voted for #3 but it would really be the one that looks the most like the coin.

 

Honestly? #1 is the worst of the set! It is criminally underlit, and shows almost no detail.

In any picture where you're trying to actually show the coin (rather than some artistic view), vast areas of black are bad. Set 1, and 4, and the reverse of 2 have vast swaths of just black.

Overall, I like set #3 the best. It shows the surfaces, shows the luster, shows the detail. The reverse is overlit (see those wide areas of blow-out white - that's not great). Overall, this set is the best.

Obverse #2 is a close second. I like the lighting and color, but it doesn't show the relief and contrast the way that #3 does.

Honestly - all of your reverse shots are inferior to your obverse shots. Obverse 2 and 3 are good - try and take some reverses that look like them.

 

I chose No. 3 because I’m guessing it’s the best representation of the coin in hand.

 

#3 is the best

 

1, 2 & 4 are too dark, particularly the reverse.

3 is the closest to what I imagine the coin looks like in my mind's eye.

 

Number 3 is the only one that actually lets you see the coin completely.

 

3

 

I chose #3. I am not fond of the dark at all. Not knowing what the coin in hand looks like, I can only hope it looks like #3.

 

2 isn't bad but 3 really shows off the coin

 

No comparison. #3

 

Okay!

Well, first of all - thank you all for your responses and feedback. It's always interesting to hear others' point of view (it's more information, which is usually helpful.)

I've added three new sets of images and adjusted the poll. You are allowed to change your votes, add new votes, etc. (Or, if you are done, you are absolutely allowed to do nothing.)

Just an FWIW:

As I stated in the original post, I was just bored and playing around with trying out some different angles, focal lengths, lighting, etc. I wasn't specifically trying to get a "100% accurate view of the entire coin," nor was I trying to find the best set of images to use to sell/show off a coin. Just playing/experimenting.

It somewhat reminds me of my time in figure drawing class my first year of college. My instructor (a realist who preferred photorealistic drawings) sort of despised me - because I wasn't interested in recreating, more in interpreting/experimenting/playing around. That's what I was really doing here - trying to find an interesting way to image a coin, create a composition - and in that space it's okay to not light the entire surfaces of the coin. Now, I don't feel like I was doing anything groundbreaking at all, nothing super fringe - but just playing around the edges of what normal coin imaging entails.

I still honestly prefer image set #1 - even if it's "criminally underlit" as @physics-fan3.14 put it (which, I kind of feel is a bit of an overreaction, but maybe explaining the context of what I was trying to do above helps temper that.) I'm not trying to hide anything or trick a potential buyer (the coin isn't for sale and I have no plans to do so at this time; I hadn't even thought about it.)

Again, just playing around.

So, all that being said, those of you who are still interested, feel free to share comments/feedback and/or edit your poll choices.

Thanks again.

 

Yeah, that's actually a pretty good way to describe most of my posts

Responding to only your new shots (5, 6, 7) -

Shot 5 is significantly *overlit*. You take the problem from set 1 and flip the script, and now you have the exact opposite problem.

However, Set 6 and 7 are my new favorites. You've balanced the overlit and underlit areas, and seem to show the whole coin as it is.

If you twisted my arm, I might give the edge to obverse 7, reverse 6.

But, either of these is a huge improvement over your opening salvo.

 

#6/#7 new favorites

 

@physics-fan3.14 - I think I'd agree that #6 is probably the most accurate "give the crowd what they're looking for" realistic image of the bunch. Not by any means perfect, but the best balance of showing the color, luster, and surfaces of the coin.

I still "like" image set #1 haha... (and I don't care what anyone says, I just think it looks cool haha)

Also, that reverse has to be concave or something because I CANNOT get it to image the same way as the obverse.

 

This is my 1989 silver eagle with a very similar toining pattern and color

 

#5

 

6 obverse / 5 reverse

 

Same thing I would always say, what looks the most accurate to in hand