Lighting Problem (I think)

[Skipper]

Hello,

I am trying to sell Morgan Silver Dollars on E-Bay and having trouble getting good pictures of the coins.

I have a Rebel 300D and a bunch of lens. I have tryed bouncing the flash, with / without flash. Made a frame put up a white cloth and a 200 watt light thru the cloth.

here are a few examples:

http://cv-access.com/twilight/308.jpg

http://cv-access.com/twilight/421.jpg

http://cv-access.com/twilight/505.jpg

I have tryed to compansate using Photoshop CS and several others.

Can You help?

Would like to get it as close to natural as possible.

Thanks

Skip

[robertwgross]

First of all, I think a couple of these had the coin in a cardboard 2x2, and there was some flash glare off the plastic. You might want to eliminate that. Also in a couple of them, I saw a distinct pink glow, which might be a color tint from the light you used. I would not want so much pink glow, but that's just me. I think you want to diffuse the light more. Get the light source diffused over a diameter of a foot, and try that. Otherwise, I think you are on the right track.

I auctioned off my entire coin collection, and that put me through college for about two years. Of course, back then the Morgans were new.

---Bob Gross---

[Digital Prophet]

I agree, the cardboard 2x2 has to go. Not only do I think the plastic slip is causing some reflection, it really uglies up the pic. Presentation is everything in a sale photo.

My suggestion is to try decreasing the angle of the light (with greater diffusion as noted above) so that you are getting a bit more of a "side lighting" effect. The reason I say this is that the impression on a coin is so shallow that I think the depth is being lost a bit, making the coin look dull and flat.

But that is just me.

- Digital Prophet -

[rkoshy]

Hello,

Would like to get it as close to natural as possible.

Thanks

Skip

Try doing a non-flash photo... Setup some soft lighting so that it lights up the object in a more natural manner. Use a tripod and try a slower exposure.

[robertwgross]

I won't claim that this is the best way to photograph coins, but it worked in the past.

I rigged up a bunch of small high-intensity bulbs that alternated red, green, blue, and I used that as about half of my light, and regular white as the other half.

That gave kind of an interesting rainbow effect, similar to real patina on the surface.

---Bob Gross---

[Skipper]

I would like to thank all of you that responed to my problem.

I was informed yesterday that my brakes on my van were bad so went to Turlock Ca. to get them fixed and as I waited I saw a photo shop across the way.

Went over there and told him my problem well he said to get a umbrella with a light sensor. Well he did not have one. So off to Modesto (20 miles away) to a camera store.

There was this young guy (about 18 or so) that said that will not work, hold on.

He went and got a Digital Rebel and a filter pointed the filter at the light source and messed with the DR a bit. Took a picture and all I can say is WOW!

The kid got it in about 5 mins or so.

What he got was the "The ExpoDisc" filter $99.00 pointed at the light source (in this case a florescence light) due to the fact there was light comming in from the store window he put a box shading the subject coins, only allowing the light from the florescence to access the coins.

The coins were two quarters.

After he took a picture of the light source he went into the P mode of the camera made that picture the white balance took the picture and GOT IT IN THE FIRST SHOT!

Man I have been messing with this for over 90 days off and on.

Now I am home got a standard incandescent 200 watt light bulb. Took a picture of the light made it my white bal. and BINGO NO PROBLEM.

Once again thanks much for all your help :lol:



Skip

[Skipper]

Ok got the information you requested:

Picture of Filter

http://cv-access.com/twilight/s4.jpg

http://cv-access.com/twilight/s3.jpg

The Add info with phone number

http://cv-access.com/twilight/ss.jpg

Now the biggest thing a picture of a coin that I took using a 200 watt light blub.

Just for info. when I took the photo of the light blub the white bal came out brown in color - but what ever IT WORKED.

This picture is just about what the coin lookes like.

http://cv-access.com/twilight/s1.jpg

Skip with a GREAT NEW TOY -- Go get one - Oh yes once you have your white bal set ie for a room etc. you can change lens use the same white bal.

Skip
:lol: :lol:

One more thing you only use this filter once to get the white bal. then you take the filter off, as long as you don't change light source no problem.

One thing you could do is take several pictures of different light source's keep them in the camera and change the white bal to make things work that way you want.

I hope this helps.

One more thing the pictures of the filter was taken with my 200 watt light blub the add was done with a scanner, the coin done with the 200 watt light blub about 3 feet away from the subject.

[WestFalcon]

The filter sounds like a waste of money to me. $100 is way too much for that....Shoot raw and available light and you can get gorgeous coin shots. Just adjust the light balance on photoshop.
Put the $100 towards a macro lens.