I was trying to capture the really nice Peach purple toning in these halves I found . But I cant seem to get a good pic what do I need to do or am I doing wrong? I am using a reg smart phone no glizts or glamor.
Hmmm, I use a camera but the same principles should apply. Put your coin on a white background and put a single diffused light source as close to the camera lens as possible. Tilt the coin towards the light source till the colors pop. Just imagine the coin is a little mirror and you are tilting it to see the light itself through the lens. Here is a recent toner I photographed with these same principles. 1936 ddo #1 by stoneman227, on Flickr
Don't use a white background. There's a couple of different ways to do it. You can either crop the background away in postprocessing and add one of your own, or you can elevate the coin above the background as I do (and I think how Stoneman did it) so it "fades away" for the shot. I use a well nut: They're rubber on the outside and won't harm the coin, and dimensionally accurate enough not to mess with coin and lens being parallel. Depth of field in coin macro shooting is very shallow, and when you elevate the coin from the background it fades.
I probably should claim my photo rig is some pristine thing but as you see in the pics "it ain't". I recommended a white background because it will help your camera's auto white balance select as close a color temperature to daylight as your lights and camera can get. This will give you a close rendition to the colors your brain thinks it see's. I use a old 20 gauge shot shell to raise a coin above a dark surface to get the black background and I know my lights and camera settings so I can select the correct temp. for true color in post processing. You can go ahead and chuckle at my crude photo rig ! 20170303_212416 by stoneman227, on Flickr 20170303_212424 by stoneman227, on Flickr
No right to laugh. Your rig may not be beautiful, but your results brook no argument. A white background is a good idea if you're using Auto for white balance, but using Auto for white balance if you have an alternative isn't.
I use a old, cheap Canon SD700IS and a good desk lamp. It's all about the light, angle of the light for me. Also the camera distance and angle. I just fiddle around with it, check though the camera and shoot when the color pops.
I'll always prefer a white background. For me, it's a point of reference. I use it to make mental corrections to images. Sometimes if you squint a little, you can see some cartwheels.
I shoot coins for a living. I'll say this: there is no one way it should be done by everyone. Different methods and styles and equipment can work just fine. I prefer halogen lights. A white background. And very high, vertical lighting. These are old photos but you get the idea. Lance.
