I'm really bad at taking pics

can you give me some help. Here is my favorite quarter...and this is the best I have so far...hammer away..or am I beyond help???

 

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I am new at taking pictures also, but I think you did a great job. A couple of things I notice there is a glare at 12 oclock on the first and second picture. The third picture looks a little fuzzy, but overall a great attempt.

 

PP: Is this a recent pick up for you? Congrats if so. What would you grader her? You may be hesitant, but for the sake of better images, removing her from the 2x2 would be a step in the right direction for better imaging. Is the color accurate on the last pic? It seems a bit golden-warm from incandescent lighting.

 

First looks like a nice coin. Now - one way to get better is to practice. Seems a little fuzzy and lusterless. If there is luster on the coin keep trying - may search for the threads by Paul(lehigh96) on lighting. Getting the right lighting will help. Also - are you using a tripod? I know my pictures improved just doing that.

 

The golden shot has more detail. What did you do different? As Mark stated, lighting is a very important factor in taking good pics.

 

Use natural sun light when possible, It will be diffused at the right time of the day and you can eliminate the flash. Use a tripod.

 

I used a tripod.
It is fluorescent lighting.
The 3rd pic is in color, but the color of the coin is more like the b&w pics, or exactly like it.
It is in a 2x2 and that might be an issue.
I bought this off a lady that came in in Dec when I really don't have cash to spend. She had a 3 peace dollars, some junk dimes, quarters, a couple buffs and this...it took her a while to take my offer, but she needed the money and so did I.

I'll try again and see if I can get it better.

 

Fluorescent will throw the color off. Natural light is great, incandescent is "ok". True light (Ott light, verulux) is better.....

Keep havin' fun. :smile

 

I have MR-16 in my shop, it is true color, but seems really "hot" to me. Maybe I'm going blind and don't know it?

Here is the same coin out of the flip, and I think you're right about the flourescent...adds way too much yellow. First 2 are b&w, 2nd 2 are color, and the coin is the color of the b&w pics.

 

Lookin' good.....

 

Nice pics.

I use an Olympus point and shoot. I use a tabletop tripod and I set my camera up for delay, then I stand back and make watch it happen. My coins always look gold. I don't know if it's the lighting or my camera setting. I use I-photo, so I'm able to play with exposure and contrast and the other things to make them look silver again. I use a white background as my guide. If the background's white, the coin should be the actual color.

 

the last shots were very good. i recently started a thread, because my photos were real bad. i just about have silver coins good to go and then i moved onto copper and they seem to be easier. next is toned, i am not sure how easy that will be.

are you using any programs to help you out? i would recommend photoscape. its free and has everything you need. i have photoshop too, but found everything in photoscape i needed. plus photoshop has so many features its harder to learn.

i use natural light, for now. it works good, but really limits you to when you can take pictures. i have heard the GE reveal bulbs are great, but have not tried them yet. my goal is to build a little coin photography studio. just like a little box set up to take coin shots.

you are already using a tripod, so thats good. are you using a timer or anything, so you don't have to physically touch the camera to shoot? i don't because with my camera i don't need to, but i heard on some cameras it helps.

lehigh has some good threads on using light and taking pictures in general. his thread on using programs to fix your pictures is great and easy to follow. if you look up my recent thread about "getting better pictures", they are all linked there.

keep posting your shots!

 

Well I tried to capture the shadow under the 1882 and the stars on this...but can't quite get it to look like it really looks...the obverse is getting closer...but the reverse is not there

 

Maybe??? Get closer the the coin and don't use the lens to get close ups? Is that off base?

Ruben

 

I'm going to take my own tread OT a little, but can anybody tell me why the funky shadows under the date and lower stars. Is it due to dipping or something else?

 

I don't see any direct evidence that this coin was harshly dipped...I think it is just the light. How is the toning?

Ruben

 

what kinda camera are you using? and what mp? if you are using macro and have a decent camera you don't have to shoot close up. you take your picture from a foot or two away and them zoom after its on the computer. this way with a white background you can capture the light. this will help with editing the pictures..

your last shot of your reverse reminds me of one of my walker halve obverse shots. it was easily fixed in photscape. i couldn't believe i could recreate what the coin looked like with that much of a washed out picture. the programs are amazing and if you follow lehighs steps its so easy.

do you mind if i save the picture and work on it, to show you?

it really only takes a minute. i may not be able to get it perfect without seeing the coin in hand, but you will get the idea of how well it works.

 

You get more detail if you don't depend on the lens to zoom...
I'm not an expert in Camera terminology, but it has to do with the laws of Physics and light bending, depth of field etc..

Ruben

 

Go ahead and play away.

It's a panasonic DMC-FS15. I'm shooting on macro setting from about 6" away. I have no clue what mp is??? Thanks for the tip because I started off about 2" away and found my best results were from 6" to 1'. (best results is relative to my suckiness)

To try and get rid of the glare, I stood up to block the direct light source and I put the entire thing in a shadow on the reverse pic. I don't think this is harshly cleaned either, but I don't know what caused those shadows, and they are on the coin, not my bad photography.

I'm going to read his threads now that I have the tripod and some ideas of what is up. Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.

 

right. i never said to use the cameras zoom, i said the opposite. to take from a foot or two away and then zoom in, when the picture is on the computer.

or were you just trying to better explain what i said?

i don't know the terminology either. i just do what works and listen to people who are experts.

i am tired and confused!