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Coin collectors and dealers will find it useful to know how to photograph coins to their best advantage. If you're selling coins online or displaying them on your hobby blog, the photographs need to be clear and well lit for viewers to be able to discern all the markings and any defects. If selling, a good photograph can be the difference between selling the coins––or not.
Steps
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Place the coin on an illuminated flat panel. An illuminated flat panel is simply a small platform used by numismatist photographers that lights the base of the coin. This helps to prevent any shadowing that occurs with external lighting sources such as camera flashes.
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Decide on the angle. The angle you use will depend on the coin you're photographing.
- An older coin, which may be worn down from years of use, would be photographed either flat or standing straight up perpendicular to the flat panel.
- Conversely, a coin that has very little wear to the surface would probably be better photographed at a slight angle, to give it dimension.
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Secure your camera to a tripod or other stabilizing device. Since you want to capture the features of your coin in detail, you will be using a technique known as macro photography. This involves placing the lens of the camera within inches (centimeters) of the object to be photographed. The slightest movement of the camera will be exaggerated on the photograph, because of the close proximity of the camera to the object. A tripod or brace will help eliminate this.
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Adjust your external lighting sources. While looking through the viewfinder of your camera, adjust the lighting until you have the proper angle for all the lighting.
- You already have the lighted flat panel distributing light around your coin, now you need some external lighting that will be directed onto your coin. Your external lighting can come from windows with a bright light––this is called natural lighting––or artificial lighting, such as ring flashes. The ring flash attaches to the lens of the camera and is used in close, detailed macro photography.
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Adjust the camera's settings. Make sure you have your camera in crystal clear focus on the coin.
- White balance is the next most critical factor in getting the perfect picture. White balance helps your camera detect the ambient light you're using and will give you a true and accurate representation of the colors for the picture. Without proper white balance adjustment, you are going to end up with strangely colored photographs––especially against a white background. The best way to test the white balance setting is by trial and error, taking a picture or two and adjusting as needed. Repeat this process until you have the ideal white balance.
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Take your picture. Taking the picture will be a matter of experimentation. Evaluate each picture and adjust the settings, lighting and focus as needed. In time, you will learn what settings work best for you.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionDo you have any tips on taking portrait photos?Joey Wallace is a Professional Photographer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Joey is the Creative Director and Lead Wedding Photographer at Joey Wallace Photography, providing photography and videography services. With over 10 years of experience, Joey has been honored as one of Atlanta’s Best Photographers for the past 5 years and has documented hundreds of weddings. Joey Wallace Photography has also been featured and recognized by publications including The Knot, WeddingWire, Brides Atlanta, and Featured on Zola.Start by focusing on your composition, and make sure that your subject is the main focal point (in this case, a coin). Experiment with different angles and perspectives to create visually interesting shots. Make sure you use natural lighting or artificial if you're indoors, as it plays a crucial role in portrait photography. And don't forget about post-processing, use editing software like Lightroom to enhance your portraits further, adjusting colors, contrast, and exposure to achieve your desired look. Lastly, keep practicing and experimenting with different techniques, the more you shoot, the more you'll learn and improve your portrait photography skills over time.
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QuestionDon't all coins have dates on them?Community AnswerYes, they do, but that doesn't make a difference. You can take a good picture of a coin with or without the date.
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QuestionHow do I photograph coins with a smartphone?Community AnswerUsing your phone's magnifier will allow you to focus at a shorter distance utilizing built-in image stabilization that rivals the most expensive SLR digital cameras and provides microscopy of images equal to or greater than most education-level microscopes.
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Tips
- It helps to have a paper and pencil so you can keep track of each setting on each photograph. This will help with future coin photography.Thanks
- Use holding wax to secure your coins in an upright or angled position. Just place a small amount on the base of the coin and place the coin on the flat panel.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Coin
- Camera
- Tripod or brace
- Lighted flat panel
- Holding wax (optional)
- External light source
- Paper and pencil
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about photography, check out our in-depth interview with Joey Wallace .
References
- http://www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/coin_photography.htm – research source
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