Canadian Eye Candy

Someone mentioned that scans of stamps are much better than photos. But as a commercial photographer by trade, I would obviously tend to humbly disagree.

Since everyone has been so kind and helpful here in assisting me in starting to get my head around this decent sized stamp collection my father gave to me recently, I thought I would share one of my photos of a Canadian stamp (Scott 208 - 1934) with everyone which is one of my favorites. I think it will also appeal to the Canadian stamp lovers here.

I find it just a beautiful stamp in every way and really love the historical aspect of the dramatic scene it portrays.

Click here:

http://www.bangkokmail.net/stamps/canada.jpg

Enjoy.

(I have changed the link now to the full hi-res version)

Thats a fantastic shot! and a fantastic stamp.

Now the question is what camera and would everyone be able to afford a camera that took the shot? Other than being relatively cheap scanners also allow you to quickly scan multiple hi res images of individual stamps. I generally place a page of stamps in a prinz stock sheet ensuring each stamp is entirely covered and then use my scanning software to individually select each stamp. I scan the whole page and it outputs however number of images, one for each stamp. If I'm scanning sets then it will out put one file for each stamp and then a larger image covering the whole set.

Drew

Thanks Drew. You are right. A scanner is far more economical and versatile in the sense doing multiple sheets and doing it the way you do. And I wouldn't recommend doing it how I have done it for most applications. In many cases it would be complete overkill. Having said that though you can also see the detail of your stamps on your screen (assuming you have a nice monitor) in a way you never would have imagined. Probably the best way to really appreciate and enjoy the beauty of your stamps.

What I can say though is that if quality is your objective, then the right camera equipment will produce a quality image that is unmatched by any scanner. However, you also need to know what you are doing with lighting and etc in order to get the camera do what you want it to do. That knowledge took years to develop. There are a lot of technical preparations involved, some technique as I mentioned, and a few pieces of added equipment you will need which I wont bore you with, but if you set up the right equipment to shoot stamps in the way I have done, then you can probably do about 50-75 stamps in a day before your neck and back starts hurting from bending over the shooting table :)

marcbkk, all I can say is WOW!

Clicked onto "Canadian Eye Candy" expecting some muscles - but after my initial disappointment , I was absolutely blown away by this image. It shows the true art of a good stamp, and just confirms why I love them so much.

Haha, glad you enjoyed it. Maybe later I will put up a picture of my muscles too. Life is all about having a balance right? Art & Form. Can't have one without the other...

Excellent photo! Photography of that superior quality would definitely be the way to go for a publication, archival purposes or the cover for a high end stamp auction. It would be overkill for ebay and Delcampe - it would slow down the dial up users too. I usually do up to 500-600 scans or more a day when I'm trying to put together an auction.

Thanks. Agreed. For all web use and most digital applications it is complete overkill. But as you said for archival purposes or for simply enjoying the pure beauty of your stamps on a good monitor it can be nice. As for publication purposes, coffee table book publishers often need high quality stamp photographs too for use as an interesting graphic in the historical introduction area of a book.

That is a fantastic stamp and image and I completely agree with you.

Practically, though, I paid $100 for my camera and $0 for my scanner. When it comes to stamps, the scanner comes up with a better image. Now if I paid $1000+ for a nice camera with a good macro lens and a rig for photographing stamps, well that would blow my scanner out of the water (and give me a great amount of pleasure). It would also blow my budget out of the water. :o)

You are right smauggie. To get a photo on par with what a $50 scanner costs take a heck of a lot more money to achieve with a camera. I am not going to give you a heart attack by telling you how much I have spent on equipment. But in my case it is my business, my passion, and a big part of my life in general, plus it has paid for itself many times over. So justifyable for me. But for most, as you and many others have noted, scanner all the way. I basically use a scanner too for scanning all my stamps for internet use. Why bother with all the fuss involved to create a photo like that when unless you need it. But gosh, they are nice to look at when they are like that. Its like seeing it under a 20x loupe.

Great shot marcbkk! I did not know perforations were so hairy!

Yes BeeSee, they are often almost as hairy as I am. I even trimmed the hair a bit on that one where it was a bit too shaggy :)

IT is BEAUTIFUL! And worth the time it took to complile to view it. WOW!! Thanks for sharing.

Send us a link to some of your other art.

Hi Marc

Great detail and a great shot.

I noticed that you may have a plate variety with the "I" and "E" of "Cartier" <G>

My favourite Canadian stamps from one to three are 1(The Bluenose, 2( - Cartier, as you have shown and 3( - The Alexander Graham Bell stamp in tat order.

Cheers

Bujutsu

Stampgal has been waiting patiently...here you go...

Canadian "muscles"



Not my handiwork...