Coin Lighting - a slightly different 1 light take on it.

[PhotosGuy]

Another shot with the "well known to be crappy" Kit lens. ;-) One, more directional, light & I used the M05A3 version of the "BlooDog Memorial Tupperware Light Tent", cut from a milk carton to reflect a rim light on the edges of the coin. (Light tent - the "U" shaped object over/around the coin)
The card at the right is flagging (cutting off) the light hitting the black cloth behind the coin.
As before, positioning the paper around the lens just a bit differently will make huge changes to how the reflections look in the coin. I used a small piece of paper to allow the dark areas behind the cam to influence the look of the coin. You could get more precise results by using a large white card & positioning strips of black, gray, or colored, paper on the card.

55mm, f/11, 1/10 sec & ISO 100.

[Andy_T]

Great shot!

How long did it take you to get the coin standing up?

Best regards,
Andy

[PacAce]

This is great stuff, Frank. Is there any way you can get the coin to be evenly lit so that both sides of the coin look the same? (Of course, I could try it myself but I'm waiting for you to perfect it first since you're so good with this kind of thing. ;) )

[PhotosGuy]

How long did it take you to get the coin standing up? :D It's leaning on something! A pin that's shaped like a "T". I used superglue (not recommended on good coins) for the one in the other thread.
Frank. Is there any way you can get the coin to be evenly lit so that both sides of the coin look the same? I actually had a view like that but angled the paper at the lens to get some tone in the coin. You'll have to play with it a bit, but it shouldn't be too hard to duplicate. If you have a problem, try a 2'X2' evenly lit card around the lens. Mabe use a medium tele to get the 'black' lens glass away farther away from the coin. Or angle the coin a bit.

[Tancor]

Hi Frank,

I know this is an old thread by now, but I just wanted to write to say thanks for the idea. I've told several people about it, and couldn't remember where to save my life I originally read it, then while replying to one of my own posts, I found it.

I did something similar to your setup, except to change a few things to meet my setup needs...

http://www.ramicom.com/ebay/photos/macrosetup.jpg

was used to produce this:

http://www.ramicom.com/ebay/photos/goldcoin1crop.jpg

(disregard the oof at the top, I didn't have the fstop closed enough for the angle of the camera and distance to object so it was a tinsy bit out of focus in the top text area.

But I just wanted to say thanks as it has produced a lot of nice images for me so far, and if it wasn't for your idea I wouldn't have the results I have now.

-Tony

ps - no the reflection was not photoshop'd, it was the real reflection in the table (polished granite table) - it was even more defined then I had expected.

[PhotosGuy]

and if it wasn't for your idea I wouldn't have the results I have now. As if I was the 1st person to come up with this? :D
That's a nice shot, & I hope you had fun with it. (She needs to be rotated CW a few degrees. That's the part I hate the most with shooting small stuff!) ;)