Beginner Taking pictures of silver bullion coins

[Tulipone]

I have started collecting coins and interested in taking good pictures of them. I have used a neutral background and taken pictures using a shutter release and they are okay. Not great.

Rather than go through buying or setting up different options, I thought I'd appeal to the community for advice! Would a light box make much difference? Would a dark box (somehow) be better? Using a flash on a reflective surface has some drawbacks and can lead to shadows.

How would you go about this? A picture of a coin on fabric is only so good!

 

[st599]

There's a book called "Light, Science and Magic" (or similar) which goes through the theory of a load of different set ups including lighting shiny objects.

 

[shaylou]

We really need to see an example shot in order to help you.

 

[Phil V]

Lighting is about shadows (put as simply as I can) shadows are created by the relative size and direction of the light source.

Garry's tutorial on specular highlights will give you food for thought,

 

[kbkeith]

I remember a similar thread some years ago and someone mentioned try taking the photo with the use of a mirror. Maybe worth a try.

 

[Tulipone]

This is (part of) the problem. The glossy parts of the coin show up as blacked out.

I was coming to the conclusion that as the camera is directly over head that the light is just bouncing up, maybe the black camera compounding the issue. Maybe the mirror would help.

With a high overhead camera the coin looks flat with some relief shadowing from the detail. I think maybe off set to show the width may also be of use.

 

[Phil V]

So you never bothered looking at the video I linked, lighting problems are fixed by lighting, not camera position.

 

[Tulipone]

So you never bothered looking at the video I linked, lighting problems are fixed by lighting, not camera position.

Sorry Phil, I guess it looks like that. The trouble is that the video uses a number of techniques using equipment I simply don't have. I do have a CPL filter - and a decent make one - but I have not been too successful with that on coins (those were deleted almost immediately) but did mean to try it again when I get a lightbox together.

I did also have a look in my library for the 'Light, Science and Magic' book referenced above after seeing how much it was going to set me back on Amazon.

On the upside, the sparkles on HM crown look good, its just the rest of it I need to get sorted. And keep the dust down.

 

[Phil V]

Sorry Phil, I guess it looks like that. The trouble is that the video uses a number of techniques using equipment I simply don't have. I do have a CPL filter - and a decent make one - but I have not been too successful with that on coins (those were deleted almost immediately) but did mean to try it again when I get a lightbox together.

I did also have a look in my library for the 'Light, Science and Magic' book referenced above after seeing how much it was going to set me back on Amazon.

On the upside, the sparkles on HM crown look good, its just the rest of it I need to get sorted. And keep the dust down.

All light behaves the same, a window is a large soft box (so long as the harsh sun isn't shining through it directly) a large reflector can be made out of anything you have to hand, pillowcase, t shirt, etc.

When it comes to manipulating light, the difference between pros and beginners is the opposite of the obvious. Beginners think they need to buy a solution to all problems, experts will use whatever is hanging about, sticking a pillowcase to a broom handle with gaffer tape as a reflector, then using a black t shirt to kill reflections from another direction.

Watch the video again, and instead of seeing 'studio flash' see 'large light source'. Remember light reflects like a snooker ball bounces off a cushion, and that your polarising filter will have no effect on light coming off a coin as it's not polarised light.

At a wedding I might get asked to shoot a small impromptu group, with the assumption that if I shoot it with my 'pro' camera, it'll be better than they'd get with a camera phone. I proceed to move the group to where the background and light is better and they get the nice shot. The moral of the story being that it's not the gear, it's the application of knowledge and the attitude that gets the shot. The result is that they get their 'nice' shot, but it's not because I'm using a £700 lens.

 

[st599]

The problem there is that your camera is directly overhead but the light source isn't. The angle of incidence = the angle of reflection from non diffuse surfaces.

If the lighting isn't reflecting off the coin into the lens then it will appear black.

As Phil says, it's not the gear and you can't buy success (Although many try), it's about successful manipulation of light either by being in the right place at the right time or by creating the lighting you need.

 

[Tulipone]

Thanks to all for their continued replies. I'm afraid I am still being dense and no closer to getting what I am hoping for. All the words make sense but understanding how to manage the light in this instance is seemingly beyond me!

Angled shots I can do but not direct overhead. I'll have another go when time permits.

 

[Phil V]

Thanks to all for their continued replies. I'm afraid I am still being dense and no closer to getting what I am hoping for. All the words make sense but understanding how to manage the light in this instance is seemingly beyond me!

Angled shots I can do but not direct overhead. I'll have another go when time permits.

It'd really help if you told us how you are lighting this rather than just saying 'it doesn't work'.

 

[BrynBoru]

As I don't have any studio lighting equipment, for coins and medals, I have used an angled board with an appropriate backcloth near a good sized window on a bright but not glaring day.
The main thing for me was getting everything to be absolutely steady and using all the tricks in the camera to reduce vibration, like mirror up, delayed release and EFC. Being an amateur, I can afford the time to fiddle about like this.

 

[the black fox]

as a ex metal detectorist i used to take lots of pics of coins and artefacts ,i found the best setup and the simple approach worked best ,you will need two blocks of wood 1 inch x 2 inch is fine about 4 inches in length ,a short length of sheet or plate glass around 6 inches off cut from a glass merchant will do ?,and a sheet of white A4 paper plus a desk lamp (halogen ?) .
simply place the A4 sheet on a desktop ,place the two blocks a few inches apart on it ,the bridge the gap with the glass .place coin or artefact on the glass and illuminate with desk lamp .camera can be either a dslr or compact as long as it has macro ability .vary the angle you take the shots at by simply moving around .this method will eliminate any harsh shadows and give the effect of a floating coin .simple but effective

i.e
gold angel henry viii by blackfox wildlife and nature imaging, on Flickr

 

[st599]

Thanks to all for their continued replies. I'm afraid I am still being dense and no closer to getting what I am hoping for. All the words make sense but understanding how to manage the light in this instance is seemingly beyond me!

Angled shots I can do but not direct overhead. I'll have another go when time permits.

In both images angle A = A and B = B

You'll notice that by enlarging the light source to the side, you do get a larger area into which the light is reflected, but overhead isn't one of them.

If you want to take an overhead shot of a shiny surface and get the surface to reflect light into the lens - the source needs to be as close to the lens as possible.

 

[Tulipone]

Thanks all. Whilst this was a bit of a cheat, more of what I was hoping for. Actually on the shinier coins I have found that an amount of shadow offers an amount of texture so not always bad!

As always, more practice required.