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<p>[QUOTE="Denis Richard, post: 4938792, member: 112673"]Proofs are a challenge to shoot. There are a few techniques I use, but here's a quick and easy technique without any special gear. It's not the best method, but it works. First, remember that with mirror finishes, you don't light the mirror, you light what the mirror is reflecting.</p><p><br /></p><p>I place the coin on a piece of white translucent plastic and put a light under it, pointing up. With the camera pointing down at a 5 degree angle, I have a perfect silhouette of the coin. The law of reflection states that when a ray of light reflects off a surface, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you only have one light, set it up like this:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1186946[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Based on my 5 degree camera angle, (though in the image above it's more like 45... ignore that, it's a stock reflection image I drew over) the coin is reflecting at the opposite angle. This is where I place my reflector. This technique is quite effective. My reflector is a white strip of foamboard, about 1 1/2" wide and 12" long. </p><p><br /></p><p>if you have two lights, which is recommended, use the second to light from the side.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1186955[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>This shot was taken that way. It's not bad. It could use some brightening in Photoshop.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1186954[/ATTACH]</p><p> This one was shot with my dynamic axial lighting set up.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1186978[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Denis Richard, post: 4938792, member: 112673"]Proofs are a challenge to shoot. There are a few techniques I use, but here's a quick and easy technique without any special gear. It's not the best method, but it works. First, remember that with mirror finishes, you don't light the mirror, you light what the mirror is reflecting. I place the coin on a piece of white translucent plastic and put a light under it, pointing up. With the camera pointing down at a 5 degree angle, I have a perfect silhouette of the coin. The law of reflection states that when a ray of light reflects off a surface, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. If you only have one light, set it up like this: [ATTACH=full]1186946[/ATTACH] Based on my 5 degree camera angle, (though in the image above it's more like 45... ignore that, it's a stock reflection image I drew over) the coin is reflecting at the opposite angle. This is where I place my reflector. This technique is quite effective. My reflector is a white strip of foamboard, about 1 1/2" wide and 12" long. if you have two lights, which is recommended, use the second to light from the side. [ATTACH=full]1186955[/ATTACH] This shot was taken that way. It's not bad. It could use some brightening in Photoshop. [ATTACH=full]1186954[/ATTACH] This one was shot with my dynamic axial lighting set up. [ATTACH=full]1186978[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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