I'd like to show you how I make my living in Photography.

Darkhorse

Darkhorse

pointed and shot
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Mar 28, 2009
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I've mentioned a couple of times I'm a numismatic photographer. What does that actually entail? Well, I take photos of coins. They can range anywhere from something might have pulled out of their sofa, to coins that can be worth multiple millions of dollars.

As an example, I just recently photographed a complete [dated] 1937 Edward VIII proof set. As you well know he abdicated before his coronation, and only 4 of these sets were actually made. This just sold at auction for 2.1 million dollars.

http://www.coinlink.com/News/world-...re-legendary-king-edward-viii-1937-proof-set/

Image of the obverses:
http://formerairline.com/wp-content/gallery/random-stuff/edobv.jpg

Image of the reverses:
http://formerairline.com/wp-content/gallery/random-stuff/edrev.jpg

This, of course, is atypical of what I do every day. I mostly handle US coins. I've taken tens of thousands of photos, maybe I'm even approaching a hundred thousand. I'm definitely sure I'm more than half way there. But typically I average about 500 photos a week more or less. A typical image I prepare looks like this:

http://www.pcgs.com/trueview/large/08609801.jpg

Personally I'd have preferred a dark background instead of the branded one. But it doesn't matter due to how they're saved, and the results from our marketing department's use of them look great. Posters, brochures, calendars etc.

Lately things have been more high tech. My company launched a paysite for comprehensive coin information: http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/

The site is predominantly my images (within the content pages) except for the one at the very top (which bugs me but it's not my call).

One of the projects I'm most proud of recently is our Photograde Online site. It aids people in how to grade their own coins. Navigating the coins in the site is fun, but doing it in App-form on an iPhone is even more fun!
http://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/

Hopefully this gives you a good idea of what I personally do to make a living in photography.
 
There are a few numismatic photographers out there. The two main ones I can think of charge much, much less than I do for individuals. However, I have to do much more ambitious projects, and work with much more volume, and the advantage I have is the ability to photograph coins outside of their holders. Premium coins are usually in plastic holders from coin grading services... I work with the top grading service so I can photograph them outside the holder then seal it up.
 
Fascinating.

In a similar vein, I've always had a yen (no pun intended) for auction catalogue photography with one of the major auction houses such as Christies or Sotheby's. Thought this would be a great way of combining my interest in antiques with my passion for photography.

Applied a few times to them and others, but with no luck!


John
 
That's a direction I may consider going toward, but I need more experience with lighting, shooting product etc. Certainly I'll come into contact with some unusual items my company comes in contact with, and can build up a portfolio.
 
The hig res jpeg is great, what kind of eqiupment do you use? Do you happen to shoot stamps as well?

Thanks for sharing.
 
I've photographed a couple of Jenny Inverts, specifically this locket (that's not my photo though). But I don't really see the point for the most part. Simply scanning them may be easier. Coins are very 3 dimensional and have a hugely varying degree of surfaces so photography is necessary.

I don't really wanna get into the detail of my equipment and techniques as a matter of confidentiality.
 
[FONT=&quot]Very interesting work.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]No doubt that other numismatic photographers envy your access and technique. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thanks for sharing.[/FONT]
 
Really interesting, I've tried something along this line for a friend's 50th high school reunion website (medals from the school, competition ribbons, dance cards), it is not easy.
 
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I enormously admire your skill and dedication, and the fact that you must be at the top of your profession. There must be very few people who can do what you do, but I have to say, I'm not sure I would be able to muster the dedication to stick with it in the way that you clearly have. This is something most people tend to miss about most successful specialist photographers: I thought the same about an acquaintance who specializes in photographing petrol (gas) stations. Please take this as a criticism of me, not you.

Purely practically, insurance must be interesting. I remember once when we had £100,000 in notes in the studio where I worked in London: they were spread out like a carpet, and went up the walls as well. This was in the 1970s. The client paid the insurance for the day...

Cheers (and congratulations),

R.
 
I just had a hobby and I was too poor to maintain it. So I had to sell my coins, and thus I had to use my little point and shoot to sell them online. People liked the photos so I started doing the odd photo for a website, then entire collections, then it just sort of escalated to where I am now.
 
Lately I've been traveling more and more for the job. Baltimore, Orlando, Fort Worth, these are trade shows. However travel to Europe may be a possibility in the future. Fingers crossed!
 
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