As you all know, I always try and make my photo skills as good as they can be, and I feel that I have improved over the last year. I recently bought a coin from our own Lehigh96, it is a 1945-D PCGS MS66 Omaha Bank Hoard Jefferson Nickel. I am getting more and more interested in Jefferson Nickels, after stating many times that I do hate the design, and they bring out my "tough guy persona" But, I love how these things tone, and I think that these are so beautiful when they are in fact, toned. Lehigh's Policy when you buy a coin from him, is very simply. Once you buy it, the pictures and descriptions are yours. I was very excited about getting his pictures, as I was having problems with the smaller coins, and I was getting better and better with photographing the bigger coins (Morgans) Here are Paul's Pictures: While I like Paul's photos on this coin, parts of the coin seem to be "fuzzy" almost like the coin is dusty. The toning shows well in these photos, but it is almost like the coin appears to be brighter in hand. The coin appears to have less of that gold that you can see near the middle of the coin, in hand it looks more of a peach. I thought about everything I have learned about taking photographing, whether it be from Paul, Krispy, or anybody else who has really helped me out with photos, and I did think of one thing that I may be over looking. I was always in a very well lighted room. Tonight, I decided to turn off all the lights, whether it be the light on the ceiling, or even my monitor, and focus on the coin with three lights. I think I got some pretty good shots of the coin, and I wanted to know what y'all thought, and if there was anything that you could suggest. Here are my photos; I think my photos clear up some of the fuzziness, shown in Paul's photos, and show less of that gold tone and more of the peach tone, which is better seen in hand. It doesn't show the luster, as good as Paul's, and I think it shows the details about the same. Overall, I think if time came to sell, I think I might use my photo. (But I would show Paul's picture in the auction/listing for sure, so the buyer could get an idea of what they are getting) Well, thanks for your time! And any and all comments and criticism will be accepted :smile
Which pictures look more like the coin? I think I see what you mean by fuzziness in pauls pictures - but honestly it looks like the luster diffusing the light. Your coin is a little clearer on some of the details, but does not show the luster on the coin as well. Your pictures make the mid part of monticello looker weaker than pauls pictures also. At least this is my opinion from what I see on the two sets of pictures.
It is hard to capture all elements of a coin in a photo, and I think this proves it. Paul's photos show the luster for what it is, and I believe that my photos show the coin's color better. I'd be interested in hearing what Paul thinks about this, as he has owned the coin.
Sorry, T$. Not saying that your picture is bad, but it definitely does not compare to Lehigh's. Your picture looks flat and accentuates the nicks. Lehigh's looks lustrous and tends to diminish the nicks.
And that is fine. I don't think mine, or Leigh's pictures show the coin the best that it can. That gold that is in his pictures, is very hard to see in hand, and I feel that maybe an over-exposure of light, could have "forced" the gold into the picture? Whatever the case may be, Lehigh's pictures accurately show the luster, but don't show the color as good as it can, and with my pics it is the complete opposite. I posted this to show that I am getting better, way better with my photography skills, but am having problems showing the luster of the coin accurately. I am having no problems getting detail and color, and I think my pictures are a few short steps away from perfection.
Tmoney, I have been huge into Jeffersons since I was a kid and I have a couple that are from mint sets I broke open and put into my Danscos that have turned almost a solid gold tone. Granted they are'nt silver, but nonetheless a nice shade of gold.
Your pictures are quite good, T$, and you are showing signs of improvement. As an interesting experiment, send the coin to a couple of other highly regarded coin photographers, and get a third or fourth view of the coin - this is sometimes a good way to learn. When you get the coin back, try to duplicate their results. I did this with a couple of coins that I sent to Bob Campbell on the NGC boards, and at first I failed miserably. With practice, my pictures too have been improving.
Oddly enough, I recently bought a Franklin half that has almost identical toning to your Jeff, T$. It is absolutely gorgeous in hand, although I haven't gotten pictures I'm satisfied with yet.
And I get that, and I'm not doubting the gold on this coin, as there is some, just not like what the photo that Paul took, shows. It has more of a peach than gold, when seeing the coin in hand. Thank You. I was thinking of sending this coin in, along with another coin I am planning to buy, over to Todd, and see what he can do. I'd be interested to see how he photographs this coin, and I would definitely post his pics here.
You know, I think my jefferson might have found it's brother! lol The coin is very similar to what mine looks like in hand, the coin is about that bright, but it has more of that peach color in the middle on both sides. Very nice coin
In hand, mine is more peachy. Those are the sellers pics, here are mine - as you can see, they still don't quite capture the coin.
Travis, From time to time, you will notice that lighting conditions can drastically change the color or the coin in a photo. Professional photographers have the skill required to capture true color most of the time. And although I take pride in my photos, I am no where near a professional. I just bough by first DSLR a few months ago and this particular coin was imaged with a point & shoot. The problem with color being off a little is that it requires manual adjustments to fix it completely. I try very hard not to do this so that others will not accuse me of juicing my photos. I make brightness, contrast, and autolevel adjustments only. This is my photo that I took of that coin. Now here is what the photo looks like after making some color adjustments in photoshop. I use auto-color followed by +5 red/cyan and -5 to green/magenta. Here are the results. I believe this photo is a more accurate representation of the actual appearance of the coin in hand. The centers are a peach color that yields to a lilac patina. In my original photo that are looks sky blue. Feel free to use this photo as well. Paul
Hey Paul, I hope this thread doesn't sound like an accusation of you juicing your photos, that was not my intent, and I'm sorry if it came out that way. The sky blue that appears on the photo you took is virtually not there, same with the that bright gold. In hand the coin appears that of a peach, with darker grey on the fields. I think your edited picture represents the coin a heck of a lot better, but if I were to sell the coin, right here, right now, I would choose my photo. My photo shows the nicks, basically why it got the 66 grade that it did, and it shows the steps a little better for what they are, from your photos the steps almost look full. The luster my camera captured is nowhere close to the actual luster of the coin. I think I will expand this experiment and send the coin to Todd... I'd be interested to see what he can do with the coin, and how it appears. Thanks for replying Paul
Travis, Have no fear, I know that you were not accusing me of juicing. My point was that if you can honestly categorically deny ever making any color adjustments, it becomes very easy to refute juicing allegations. I don't remember the coin having dark grey in the fields. As I recall, it was certainly sky blue and lilac. What type of lighting are you using?
From what I can see in hand, there is not a whole lot of blue. I can agree with lilac, but with more of a grey interwoven with it. I use 2 halogen lights at 10 & 2, and an additional lamp going over the top of the coin.
The only solution is to get a Third party involved. I'll be that third party, you can send it to me and I'll take some photos :goofer:
http://www.cointalk.com/t89441/ Just a bump of this thread, along with another, showing I got the new pics
