How to Photograph Coins - Peerspace
Techniques for photographing coins
Good news: Once you’ve got your equipment all sorted out, set up, and working, the task of actually photographing coins is fairly easy and technically straightforward.
Start by keeping these two “requirements” in mind:
- You want the coin lying flat as if you’re taking a picture of a document
- You want to eliminate/minimize any shadows
The goal is to try and capture and show as much detail as you can, without shadows obscuring anything. Using the light panel/table as the base removes background shadows (and also makes it very easy to isolate the coin and strip out the background with imaging software if you want, great for layering the coin on other backgrounds and advertising!)
This means just have your camera over the coin aimed directly head-on, perpendicularly. If you need to aim your lights (if you’re using lamps instead of a ring flash, for instance), the “art” and any other marks and details on the coin will affect where you position them to remove shadows. You’ll want at least two light sources, each on opposite sides of the coin.
If you are unsure about exposure, take at least three shots with different exposure settings: (0) normal, (+) lighter, and (-) darker. This is called bracketing. See which one works best for that particular kind of coin. You may want to log all these settings down in a notebook for future reference.
Now that you know how to photograph coins, let’s talk about where to photograph coins.
Learn how lensball photography can enhance your coin photoshoots next!
Photograph coins at a Peerspace
Now you have the basic information on what you need to photograph coins. Now, you just need the perfect space to do so. Luckily, that’s where Peerspace can help you once again!
As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, Peerspace offers you access to hundreds of professional studios across North America and beyond. All you have to do is head to our homepage and look up “photo studios” in your location. You can then filter the results based on pricing, included gear, and other factors necessary for your project.
Looking forward to getting started? We’re glad! To show you what’s out there, here are a few of our favorite Peerspace studios ideal for coin photography:
This is only a small handful of the types of spaces you can book through Peerspace. Check us out today to get started on your ideal spot for coin photography.
How to photograph coins: conclusion
As you can see, learning how to photograph coins is straightforward. To get excellent professional results, you just need these tips and some inexpensive equipment (much of which you may already have). Oh, and a Peerspace studio that allows for perfect lighting and any necessary gear or props you wish to use!
After a bit of setup and preparation, you’ll be ready to go. It’s easily replicated too! With very little effort, you can become a master collectible coin photographer.
