Experimenting With Lighting On An Ancient Coin

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 2,223
DVCollector Bedrock of the Community United States 10045 Posts	Posted 08/29/2014 12:06 am I have used an ancient coin from Greek Syracuse as the subject of my lighting experiments because it has great relief and a nice patina. Here are some results using different lighting methods. The first two are using two Jansjo lights with some diffusion. The low-angle directional light brings out the outline of the profile, but it also accentuates surface irregularities over design details. It's also a lot of work to keep highlights under control as well as bring out details in the center of the coin--which did not get as much light: The next picture uses a technique I developed that is similar to axial lighting, but lit directly by just one Jansjo light. The diffusion here was achieved by using 5 layers of diffusion panel that is made for fluorescent ceiling lights. I like the metallic luster and how the design details are defined. Compared to 2 light sources, this is very easy to set up for consistent results, and much faster to process into the final image due to better tonal range overall. The final shot was created from 20 images focus-stacked. Finally, the same coin shot with the same technique as above, but with ultimate diffusion--overcast daylight. Unlike the shot above, it's hard to get just the right lighting for repeatable results. This was not focus-stacked, which is why the shot isn't as consistently sharp. Overcast daylight tends to bring out colors, such as the beautiful patina on this coin. Edited by DVCollector 08/29/2014 12:37 am Report this Post to the Staff

sel_69l Bedrock of the Community Australia 21786 Posts	Posted 08/29/2014 01:05 am You have done superbly well! Museum quality photography! Thanks for showing how it's done! Report this Post to the Staff
DVCollector Bedrock of the Community United States 10045 Posts	Posted 08/29/2014 01:14 am Thanks for your kind remarks. I have not shown how I accomplished the last two shots. Tomorrow I'll take a picture of the copy stand/camera, coin, and the piece that makes it all work. It's a blindingly simple concept once you see my setup. Report this Post to the Staff
rmpsrpms Pillar of the Community United States 4037 Posts	Posted 08/29/2014 10:27 am I like the "pseudo axial" image best but there is still a bit of room for improvement to get that last bit of aesthetics IMO... If you move the pseudo axial source a bit so the light comes from a slight angle toward 1200 I expect you'll get a more natural look to the coin. A slight tilt of the coin in that direction would do the same thing. Axial lights are similar to ringlights in that their omni-directionality gives good illumination to the subject but results in a "flat" presentation. A slight angle, or addition of reflectors or another source to give the light some directionality from upper hemisphere would likely improve this. PS...would very much like to see details of your pseudo axial setup. PPS...The area I am concentrating on with suggestion to provide a slight tilt is the hair at top of head area. It is not natural to see a bright reflection from the field but a dark top of the head and hair. Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com Edited by rmpsrpms 08/29/2014 10:30 am Report this Post to the Staff
DVCollector Bedrock of the Community United States 10045 Posts	Posted 08/29/2014 2:01 pm Quote: It is not natural to see a bright reflection from the field but a dark top of the head and hair. I do agree, although axial lighting (or my method) is not exactly "natural" either: the light is striking the coin at roughly perpendicular, creating an outlining effect around design elements where light reflects away from the lens axis. Not making excuses here; just pointing out what I consider "natural" vs. studio lighting. The last shot is natural in every way, including those technical details. due to light source/direction. Naturally, it still boils down to technical + technique + artistic license to get the results you want. Personally, I'd get bored if I did hundreds of coin shots all using the same exact technique. Trial/error/experimentation keeps it interesting. my studio lighting on the coin (pic 3) is hitting slightly below the coin's perpendicular axis. While I was testing how light can model the relief, I do agree that a more "naturalistic" treatment would improve the impact. The jaw line in particular is far too under-lit as is the hair. This should be shot again, but this time the light should come from slightly above and to the right in order to more naturally define the profile and hair. It may lose some definition on the lettering, but the overall look will improve. Quote: PS...would very much like to see details of your pseudo axial setup. Will do--once I am satisfied with my results. I ought to shoot some moderns as well, since they're much easier to achieve this effect. If I can achieve the desired effect on this ancient, I will update this thread. Thanks for commenting! Edited by DVCollector 08/29/2014 2:09 pm Report this Post to the Staff
DVCollector Bedrock of the Community United States 10045 Posts	Posted 08/29/2014 7:55 pm I was fortunate today to have some good overcast lighting conditions. This result is from simply making use of diffuse natural light coming through a window, again using the technique I'll explain in an upcoming post. The lighting on this one is more natural and better defines the portrait and other details. I think the top of the head looks slightly darker due to heavier patina. This shot was focus-stacked from 20 images, a rather tedious process to manually adjust the focus increment for each exposure. I can't wait to use tethering software for this step! Edited by DVCollector 08/30/2014 02:48 am Report this Post to the Staff
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