Okay, so I redid the photos of my 1911 $2.5 AU58 Indian, this is my favorite coin, and I decided to take better photos. I tried for about an hour, and I think I made the photos look 1,000 times better Please, opinions and suggestions WELCOME! BEFORE AFTER
What sort of camera, lights, setup are you using? The after pics are a little more in focus, but I like the color of the first one better. Try using two lights, and back them away from the coin a bit. Your second pictures look a little overlit to me. Great improvement, and keep trying!
I am using two lights... I have the ceiling fan light above me, then I am putting the coin under the lamp on an easel, with a yellow background, I've tried black, white, all sorts, yellow works best on my camera. I have to use the flash as well, it is the only ways to make the coin have details. And I am not close to the coin either, but not far away, I am a good enough distance, to get details of the coin, without it being blurry. I can see how the color of the first one would be more appealing, but that is just what it looks like under intense light, and I think I captured the true color, along with details of the coin
The ceiling light isn't really going to make all that much of a difference, really. Do you have a macro mode on your camera? Make sure you are using that. Also, if your camera has manual controls, try adjusting the f-stop and iso, as well as anything else you can adjust, until you get the picture exactly right. If you are using the flash, that is why your coin looks overlit. You should not ever use the flash when taking a coin picture - you have no control over it, it is very bright, and it is very direct. Go to Target and get a cheap desk lamp, one of the ones with the bendy neck so you can adjust it whichever way you want - you can get one for less than ten bucks. I use the curly halogen light bulbs and find they give just about the best light. Position the lights as necessary, keeping in mind you will have to move them many many times until you find just the right lighting. My pictures are nothing like some of the guys can get, but I think they are pretty good if I do say so myself.
I honestly don't think you could get pics with detail, without using marco? Of course I use marco! The flash is the only way to get detail, and I have the flash on the lowest level I can have it on. If I don't use the flash, I have no details on the coin.
I personally hate camera flash color of lighting unless very accurately testing the light situation. I highly suggest learning to use no Flash unless you have a balanced and synched slave set up. Do not use a cameras auto settings. Use the camera in manual mode, try camera mounted on a stand for a longer exposure on timed settings. If you can, set up lamps one either side of your subject on a 45º degree angle to the flat subject and with camera mounted on stand, above and level to the plane the coin is laying on. The AFTER shots you have shown have a very flat contrast, the flash was too much / too close and it blew out detail as well as the appealing natural color you had in the BEFORE shots. The BEFORE shots seem too have had an imbalance of light coming from the upper right side, evidenced by the hot spots. That overhead ceiling lamp, turn it off. Control all light sources and only use the ones you are shooting the subject with, as different light sources have different temperature values and effect the subject when they mix. Shoot at night or in a dark room with only the lights you need on the subject. Practice makes perfect. Macro is a labor of love. Take some more pics and post them here again for us. ...and, of course, that is a totally!!!! totally!!!! BOSS!!!! $2.5 Indian!!!!!
