So, this should be fun. This is a 1943-P Jefferson Nickel that I believe I won in a contest here several years ago and it came from our local nickel expert and really good coin photographer @Lehigh96. I am trying to get better at photographing toned coins...and admittedly, I am having a difficult time with it. To that end, I decided to photograph this coin as a GTG coin...and post those photos. In addition, I still have the original photo posted by Lehigh96 from back when I got the coin (which I admit is far better than mine). So, here they are. Lehigh (or anyone else)...please feel free to provide photography advice. I know that Lehigh as also photographed this coin so maybe comparing my results to his might tease out some technique improvements you guys can suggest. This coin lives in a NGC slab. My Photo: Lehigh96's Photo:
Wow, love the toning. It is a beautiful coin. Both pictures portray it nicely. I think that Paul’s photo on a white background is more flattering to the toning. Toned coins, to me, look better on a light background, and bright, blazer type coins photograph better on a dark background. I also think that his photograph is about 1/2 stop lighter than yours. I like both photographs, and certainly the coin, which looks to be MS 66* for color.
I'll be honest...I'm struggling with knowing when to use a black verses a white background. Here it is on white.
I like that better. The toning is more natural. Now, back off slightly on the exposure, as it is a bit too washed out, and undersaturated.
I did a minor adjustment to the exposure...how does it look now? Again, here is Paul's photo in comparison:
Much better. You might want to adjust the color saturation a bit. Paul’s picture has a bit more saturation. Which picture looks more like the coin in hand? Yours or Paul’s? His makes the toning richer, and more colorful. If that is the way the coin really is, post process a bit, experimenting with brilliance and color saturation. Based on the better look to your picture, and comparing it to his, I raise the grade estimate to MS 67*
I honestly think the true in hand look is in between the two photos...depending on which way you hold it. I think Paul's photo is slightly too colorful and mine is a little under colored. I think mine captures the luster better than his.
Well Meow is super armature when it comes to pics of coins. But Meow has found using a simple LED flashlight at different angles to best show and highlight the feature Meow wishes to show the most.
Them keep the exposure the same, and boost saturation a tiny bit. My guess, based on not holding the coin in hand. Do you use Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or other PP software?
It looks like a luster bomb. I personally think it is a 66 + Try adjusting your white balance or back off your lights some.
Boost the color saturation ever so slightly to capture the blues more. I use Photoshop on my computer, and Photoshop Express on my iPad Pro.
Wow, just found this thread. Those photos of mine are so old that I didn't even know how to rotate the coins properly and they aren't even on my computer. That said, I do remember the coin, it was very pretty. And I also remember the grade. @CamaroDMD do you want to do the reveal or should I?
It is a very nice looking coin! The luster looks to be outstanding with nice splashes of color. I do see what looks like it could be contact marks on the reverse, which if they are would hold the grade back. Based on those possible marks I would call it a MS-66. I'm not sure if the color is strong enough to warrant a ★, but if it received one, I would not doubt the call. As far as photography, it looks like you might be using a single light source? At the minimum you will want to use 2. That appears to be the biggest difference between your images and @Lehigh96's images. His look to have at least 2 lights at about the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. Your single light appears to be right at the 12 o'clock position. If you are limited to a single light, place it so that the main light faces towards Jefferson's face. The lighting will appear a little more natural. You can also use a sheet of paper as a reflector to reflect light from your main light and fill in the other side. So place the light at 10 o'clock and the paper at the 2 o'clock position. Moving the light and paper closer towards the 9 and 3 positions on the reverse will help reduce the blowout on the upper reverse field. Overall, your doing a pretty good job.
Haha. I totally forgot about this thread. I do. I will post it when I get home or if @Lehigh96 gets to this thread first he can post it if he wants.
