| Author |
 Replies: 39 / Views: 3,731 |
Page 3 of 3
|
|
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
10048 Posts |
Quote:
Earle: I bet if you took a wire clothes hanger, bent out square and taped a plastic grocery bag on it to make a curtain. You would probably remove the glare that gets to to your coin? You might be surprised at the results. If not enough try two layers. Still not enough, try adding a sheet of white paper. Just don't let it touch the bulbs. Thanks Coop, I will definitely try this. Edited by Earle42
07/05/2018 3:05 pm
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
10048 Posts |
@Swamp There are two programs titled Photo Impact. The one from Ulead is the one I use. I forget who makes the other. The text manipulation is what I use a lot. Its amazing how simple it is to draw any curved shape and then type text right along the curve I just made. Seeing as upgrades to later versions were always 20.00 or less when buying used on ebay, I went all the way up through V13. I think Corel has now quit making this program - which may be good as theirs are the programmers who "simplified" things by making four and five more do the same task that used to take two or three. Since 2003, I have had 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13. - somehow I missed yours! And until V10, I do not think I paid more than 10.00 for any of them. I know I got version 4 for 4.00 total! How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
|
Valued Member
United States
420 Posts |
@Earle42 Quote:
There are two programs titled Photo Impact. ...The one from Ulead is the one I use...
The text manipulation is what I use a lot... Yes, this is Ulead's.. This ver has really decent text manipulation capabilities also, especially considering how long ago it first hit the shelves.. Probably haven't used that feature in ten years or so, yet at one time it really earned its keep.. Priorities change.. Been using the program a good long time now almost exclusively for various image editing tweaks.. With ebay wanting a minimum of 1600 pixels on the larger sides of photos (for phonograph records at least, don't know about other items though, like, say -- Disney pins,) it's nice having a no-hassle tool that can knock approx. 1.6Mb down to mid-200k with next-to-no image deterioration at the click of a mouse.. Swamp |
|
Valued Member
United States
420 Posts |
Speaking of poor quality photos, when a new member is first approved for posting and goes to:
"Coin Community Rules - Please Read Before Posting
Last Update 2/16/2014
Please take a few minutes to review the rules before posting or when they are updated,"
assuming they even bother to do so to look at the Forum Rules, nowhere is there even a mention of photographs, much less what they should look like, other than this:
Images in Posts (5/16/2010)
"Images are permitted in posts within reason. Obviously photos of coins involved in the topic are always allowed and encouraged. Extraneous images other than the occasional smiley, happy birthday image, or similar are frowned upon and subject to removal. The staff reserves the right to remove any image, at any time, for any reason, with no explanation required..."
And that's it..! Is it any wonder we're bombarded with sideways and upside-down shot from a mile away blurry photos which may or may not give a clue as to where we should be looking for what, much less a close-up of that/those areas..?
Ok, I've identified a problem.. But I personally can't do anything to help correct it beyond making suggestions as to what might help..
For starters I would make an addition to the Forum Rules..
Next, and last, since very few first-timers wanting confirmation and $$s-evaluation of their amazing find bother to read Forum Rules in their rush to wealth I'd put a 'spec-sheet' as the very first / only item seen the first time entering a forum, one that'll disappear forever after having been "signed off" with a checkmark in a clickable box or whatever..
It doesn't matter how y'all do it, as long as something is done.. My preference is to make it impossible to post, even though they are cleared to do so, without the powers-who-be having the knowledge these folks at least had the opportunity to know what is expected of them as far as posting "help me" photos go.. If they deceide to just scroll to the bottom n check the box, when they post unacceptable photos they now deserve to have their azzez biched out.. No need for us to have to continue being polite while fighting our rising bile n chomping Acid-B-Gone as we (re)explain to them what they need to do..
As Doug said more-or-less, and I heartily agree: I only have so many words and posts left in me, and I don't plan on wasting them telling people how and why they need to post good photos..
Swamp
Edited by da Swampster
07/06/2018 10:14 am
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3656 Posts |
Wow Jasper those are some great coins! This is pretty harsh Swamp - don't you think? Quote:
t doesn't matter how y'all do it, as long as something is done.. My preference is to make it impossible to post, even though they are cleared to do so, without the powers-who-be having the knowledge these folks at least had the opportunity to know what is expected of them as far as posting "help me" photos go.. If they decide to just scroll to the bottom n check the box, when they post unacceptable photos they now deserve to have their azzez biched out.. No need for us to have to continue being polite while fighting our rising bile n chomping Acid-B-Gone as we (re)explain to them what they need to do.. Here is my 2 cents. I feel it is important to see the other side of the bad photo people (including myself). When I first started I was given a bag of wheaties around 5000 I think. I knew absolutely nothing about coins other than spending them. So I started out completely ignorant with no equipment or knowledge of photo taking. I used an eye loupe to search for stuff, which of course I had no idea what I was searching for except for the 1909-S VDB and the big 1955 DDO basically. I did a lot of reading and looking & learning before I even signed up on a forum. This was the 2nd one I joined, the first one was to me a very uninviting a lot of swearing and meanness. CCF was very friendly, kind and incredibility patient with me and you all still put up with my horrible pictures (Thank You). I don't make money from coins - I am just totally thrilled to have been thrown (pretty much was it was) into this wonderful hobby of coins. My initial plan was to get through all these old pennies and get on with my life, little did I know I would learn to love this so much. Before I knew it I was buying boxes of pennies from the bank. Checking the coins on every visitor I had and on and on. So I think there are many of us that I have started out the same way (maybe by inheritances & such) then grew to love coin collecting. So when I signed up I was using my hand held digital camera and photo program and even scanner to try and get pictures to post. Not every knows photo taking skills with lighting angles and all or have a large enough space for a setup not to mention the money to buy it (plus you have to know what to buy so you don't waste your money). I have limitations with both. If you guys were to do what you are saying about Newbies then I would have been gone as I wouldn't have had a way to meet your requirements. It took me a month or so to be able to afford my cheap USB scope 25.00 (which I still use to this day). On the other hand I am just a minor contributor so most of postings from Newbies fall on your shoulders and I really do understand that. I am sincere in my coins but I swear it took me at least a half a year to actually be able to recognize the Doubled Dies under my scope and that was after a member here sent me some to learn from. It was so frustrating for me trying to figure these out was and it wasn't from the lack of trying. I have learned a lot from all of you but, no where near what most of you members know. I absolutely love being a part of CCF and have many coin friends now. I unfortunately (even after almost 3 years) will never be a pro at coins or photos like a lot of you so isn't there room for both? People like me who just enjoy coins and are considered a novice collector/searcher with not so good pictures and the pros? Oh well, I guess a little more than my 2 cents (maybe 5 cents worth?) Thanks for reading my rant CC Edited by CoinCents
07/06/2018 11:48 am
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
744 Posts |
I use Photoshop. Has a steep learning curve, but I think it's the best out there (my opinion). I use my iPhone 6 most of the time, but if I want close ups, I use this USB scope... Was about $90 on Amazon if I remember right. Made by Opti-Tek.   |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3478 Posts |
Quote:
My preference is to make it impossible to post, even though they are cleared to do so, without the powers-who-be having the knowledge these folks at least had the opportunity to know what is expected of them as far as posting "help me" photos go. And when there are 10 guys left patting each other on the back for posting great photos you'll wonder what happened to CCF, it used to be such a great site. |
|
Valued Member
United States
420 Posts |
Quote:
And when there are 10 guys left patting each other on the back for posting great photos you'll wonder what happened to CCF, it used to be such a great site. Could be over-reach on my part I suppose.. Perhaps it is a bit much, asking of and expecting those wanting help to properly post photos in a manner right off the bat that would actually prove helpful to everyone involved... I have to say it does bother me a bit though, your interpreting what would amount to a 90-second-or-less read as being a potential site-destroying dirty bomb.. And while I appreciate un-edited quoting, doing so is pointless when done out of context.. You're quoting my second 'beat them over the head' suggestion.. My initial suggestion is adding presently absent information to the Forum Rules.. All I'm trying to do is help a couple sections of the site function more efficiently.. I fail to see how making things easier for those supplying answers by telling as well as showing those having questions the best way to do so the first time around as being any sort of a negative.. But that's just me.. Swamp |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3478 Posts |
How does making things impossible for someone make things function more efficiently for anyone? This is not the attitude of the site I signed up with.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
In truth, I feel like technology is beginning to reach the point where good pictures are within reach for most. I do 95% of my CCF time on my Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone, photography and editing included. The camera isn't even close to the best on the market, but at 4 years old you'd struggle to give S5's away for free. I have two photography setups: 1) A piece of computer paper on a table in front of an open window:  2) A black shoebox propped under my wife's $25 fluorescent ring craft lamp (I don't use the 5x magnifier built in because I can't get it clean enough)  If I really need to, my phone camera can take a picture through my 10x/30x lighted loupe: http://goccf.com/t/266654Almost all of my photos are untouched (I sometimes need to adjust white balance or contrast), and are resized in my phone's built-in image editor and combined with a free online tool. My point being, I do the best I can when looking at blurry pictures, and will never shame a newbie for posting pictures (my early ones are bad, I'll admit), but in 2018 the technical excuses for bad pictures are shrinking. Anyone with a modern smartphone, steady hands, a window, and the patience to actually focus and edit the picture can take good photos. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3656 Posts |
I think that the 'Not Knowing if or what someone has' is the thing. Point being some of the newbies say directly they have searched the Internet and couldn't find anything so then they found CCF and asked for help. The thing is beginners don't know the proper terminology to successfully research a possible error or variety. Most of the time though they can't find it because it is just PSD. Sometimes we get lucky with something good. I have a great example for myself. I was on CCF for maybe a month (Christmas Time). OcalaFlorida posted a coin that had an imprint of Santa's face and I though that was so cool - this also reminded me of a wheatie that I had come across just a few days before (it was in my junk pile) where I thought someone had imprinted their name on my penny. So because of Ocala's post I went back and dug it out of the pile and posted it. As it turned out is was block style Dropped Letters - I forgot what Mike Diamond actually called it. But, without the knowledge of what a dropped letter was I wouldn't know what to lookup and just assumed it was junk and it obviously isn't (as you can tell by my title line on the post). So, I still have this little baby in my lock box. http://goccf.com/t/247608 |
|
Valued Member
Canada
195 Posts |
I am fairly new on here and I am still struggling with lighting issues, clarity on my pictures and also recognizing the many errors, varieties and not. The people on all the forums here are fantastic and the detail to which information is passed along is unbelievable. My Two Cents. |
|
Valued Member
Canada
195 Posts |
Sorry, I forgot to mention that I am currently using a free program called photoscape to edit pictures taken from a usb microscope, seams pretty easy to use, has anyone else tried it?
|
|
Pillar of the Community
2224 Posts |
I'm reading some good photo taking ideas here and good discussion. Going to try a couple of them but my man space is limited.  I just tried using my 6i, I did not like the photos as seen on my phone. How to you phone users transfer to your PC? Upload, email, ? Sorry I'm not PC smart. What about close ups? That's probably the most difficult shot for me. Like getting a good mm shot or tough angle on a rim. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
10048 Posts |
@southsav To transfer fromiPhone to computer I use a free program from the App store called Wifi Photo. You start it on the iPhone, it tells you what to type into your computer browser. You can then view and download the pics using your browser. Closeups are different. This is where I started: http://goccf.com/t/243488After I got the system so I saw it worked, I built a more steady system I don't have pics of! I could have bought a USB microscope, but where is the fun in that when I can build something formyself?  |
|
Page 3 of 3
|
Replies: 39 / Views: 3,731 |
Page 3 of 3
|
First Page
Previous Page
Posted 07/05/2018 3:16 pm
