Photo editing question -??

Here I have an 1803 Large Cent( found Metal detecting) that I took two different shots of and edited differently . Do You prefer the one on the left or the right ??

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Left, sometimes cameras with auto focus can turn the image yellow for some reason.

PS that is an amazing metal detecting find.

 

The left one looks more natural IMO, nice find!

 

Practicing with my editing skills, here you go

 

The difference is the color temp (aka white balance). the one on the looks more natural, but I think the WB/temp is too cool for the coin.

 

Any better ?

 

Whichever one looks closest to the actual color. By your photos I don't have a clue what it really looks like.

 

It looks more like the one on the left . The one on the rght is a more old fashion look .

 

I find that the light source makes a huge difference. The bright detail using the LED with a digital microscope is great for detail, but also makes flaws appear worse than they are. A soft white LED book lamp give me a better color, but still not the best. I've heard taking them outdoors in sunlight is the best, but my digital microscope chord is too short to do that.

I've taken photos that look like this pair, but in the copper, it looks darker like a bronze statue. It's really not easy to get the color and details of the look in the copper properly captured in a photo.

 

How about this?



There was a time when people thought black and white pictures were the best thing for coins. those days have past. Color is the much better way to go. I boosted the shadows and lower the saturation.

Is the coin black or brown when you see it in person?

 

Wow, great find Sal. The one on the left shows more detail, well done, thanks.

 

@SensibleSal66 's most recent picture has a bluish-purple tint to it that I doubt is correct. The picture on the right in the OP looks too orange. This seems like it might be closer, not having seen the coin, of course:

 

Your left image is MUCH more useable. Quite often color hides detail.

 

Congratulations on the find! That's awesome. My best find was a Buffalo nickel. (Unless I can count hundreds of bottle caps and pieces of tin foil as good finds. LOL!) Nice coin, too!

I'd hit the "Like" button 10 times if I could.

IMO the reasonable goal of coin photography is to produce an image that looks as close as possible to what the coin actually looks like in patina, color, detail, surfaces, and yes even its blemishes.

One can edit a coin's photo to make the coin's detail, surface quality, and patina appear better than the coin actually is by adjusting contrast, brightness, clarity, sharpness, hue, etc., etc. -- and/or by using "red eye" or "spot fix" type of editing features to remove or soften blemishes. All of which can lead to the coin's image representing the coin as being nicer than it really is. IMO this is misleading -- particularly if it is a coin being listed for sale. :-o

Likewise, one can produce an image of a coin that doesn't do the coin justice. (IOW: Create an image that shows the coin as being worse than it really is.) This can be done inadvertently or otherwise in a number of ways, including but certainly not limited to: out-of-focus, poor lighting, wrong lighting, too distant (hence a tiny image), or by poor use of photo editing controls.

But getting the color to match (as close as possible) is one of my tip-top priorities when I'm photographing coins.

 

The power struggle between color and detail is real. This is why whenever I do photos showing pick-ups for varieties, they're in grayscale. It's so much easier to illustrate varieties when there isn't color getting in the way.

 

Beefer518 is correct. This is a color temperature issue. All cameras, even camera phones have settings for different lights. Set the camera for tungsten for table lamp lightbulbs and set it for shade for those "natural" blueish bulbs or outside in the shade. Try to stay away from full sun. The auto settings on even expensive cameras only work occasionally. Then try not to change anything in your photo editing software by accident.

 

I use PhotoGrade and sometimes LunaPic . Just for re-sizing , cropping and adjusting the lighting .

 

Many people create problems trying to adjust lighting in post production. Adjust your lighting in camera. That means, before you take the shot. Good luck!

 

I guess I have to learn how to do this . I own a Moto G . Anyone know how to do this ?