Photographing money?

[Tailgunner]

I got bored and broke out the blight light and some U.S. currency. I snapped out a couple shots and processed one to see what it would look like. Everything went fine with processing but the settings wasn't right. So i changed up a few things and snapped a few more shots. This time while trying to process the photo, I get a message stating this software doesn't support editing money (CS6) and provided me with a link. I didn't think anything of it being I'm looking for an artistic photo and not a counterfeit copy. I clicked on the link and entered my country/currency info and it stated even artistic photos of any kind are deemed illegal.

So my question is this, how are there images posted online such as stock image sites? Is there away to photograph currency in an artistic way or are these people simply breaking the law at their own risk?

Thanks

 

[Scatterbrained]

Ok, I've seen tons of "money shots", so now I'm quite curious to see this warning screen you're seeing. Can to screengrab it?

 

[Nevermore1]

There are specific regulations that must be followed.

United States Secret Service: Know Your Money - Counterfeit Awareness

I suspect the program probably has the warning so they can't be held liable if someone does get into trouble with the govt for processing photos.

 

[Buckster]

I've heard that GIMP will allow editing of currency, but I can't confirm as I'm not a GIMP user.

There used to be a workaround in PS, which was to bring it into ImageReady, then PS would gladly take the handoff from IR. But that was too many version ago. ImageReady is no longer available, as far as I know.

 

[fotomonkey]

The Secret Service will be along shortly to answer your questions.

 

[petrochemist]

There are very specific rules that vary from country to country.
Conditions can be specific as to the resolution permitted, how much of the bank-note that can be visible, text that must be overprinted, reproduction sizes allowed etc.
The European bank is relatively permissive when it comes to photographing Euros, but somewhat less so about putting the images on line. A shame as I've taken a nice set of close-ups of the hologram of a 50 euro note - which I've exhibited locally but I think I can only post them on-line at very low resolution (if I understand the legalese correctly). At some point I may contact them for clarification
I had permission from the bank of England to take macro shots of English bank notes for testing lenses, but that was only valid for a year - and again sharing the results was restricted. This permission was something that was relatively easy to get - just had to write to the correct department explaining exactly what I wanted to do & why. A couple of weeks later I received a reply with permission & conditions.

 

[Tailgunner]

Ok, I've seen tons of "money shots", so now I'm quite curious to see this warning screen you're seeing. Can to screengrab it?

You've seen money shots on the web or you have personally photographed and edited money shots?

I was able to edit in Camera Raw but once I clicked open in CS, I got the warning box. I don't have a screen shot, it's on my work computer and I'm now at home. I'm not sure I want to attempt it again until I know more about it. The link it provided stated that basically every image of a U.S. bill is considered illegal. It doesn't matter the size or use.

 

[runnah]

Sounds like the only sure fire way to make money with photography.

 

[Tailgunner]

There are specific regulations that must be followed.

United States Secret Service: Know Your Money - Counterfeit Awareness

I suspect the program probably has the warning so they can't be held liable if someone does get into trouble with the govt for processing photos.

Ah, this may clear things up a bit.

• The illustration is of a size less than three-fourths or more than one and one-half, in linear dimension, of each part of the item illustrated
• The illustration is one-sided
• All negatives, plates, positives, digitized storage medium, graphic files, magnetic medium, optical storage devices, and any other thing used in the making of the illustration that contain an image of the illustration or any part thereof are destroyed and/or deleted or erased after their final use

My sample photo included both sides...I was using some rough bills and a couple would only lay flat if reversed. The size is probably an issue as well, I save cropping and resizing for last...and my D800 shoots large files to start with. I wonder if the file stored in my LR catalog is tripping it as well? It says all copies needs to be destroyed?

I'll try this tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[astroNikon]

Just go to a coin collecting website. If you collect coins and buy over the internet, or even eBay ... there's PLENTY of money shots. Coin & paper of each and every year you can think of.

I've seen plenty of money shots as large or larger than the original.

Hmmm .. I took plenty of money shots for my insurance. I hope they don't arrest me.
I wonder if you can use your money after photographing it ... that would be a real quandry.

 

[Tailgunner]

Just go to a coin collecting website. If you collect coins and buy over the internet, or even eBay ... there's PLENTY of money shots. Coin & paper of each and every year you can think of.

I've seen plenty of money shots as large or larger than the original.

Hmmm .. I took plenty of money shots for my insurance. I hope they don't arrest me.
I wonder if you can use your money after photographing it ... that would be a real quandry.

Yes, but the U.S. Government isn't worried about counterfeit Silver dollars coins as much as they are paper currency. I mean when is the last time the U.S. made an effect to change up the quarter and install anti-counterfeiting measures to it? They constantly change their paper currency in order to help prevent counterfeiting. Anyhow, try it out and see for your self. I was able to edit one photo with zero issues. It wasn't until I tried editing a second photo when i got the pop up box.

 

[Augphoto]

Hmmmm, I never knew.

 

[astroNikon]

Yes, but the U.S. Government isn't worried about counterfeit Silver dollars coins as much as they are paper currency. I mean when is the last time the U.S. made an effect to change up the quarter and install anti-counterfeiting measures to it? They constantly change their paper currency in order to help prevent counterfeiting. Anyhow, try it out and see for your self. I was able to edit one photo with zero issues. It wasn't until I tried editing a second photo when i got the pop up box.

Yes, why fake a quarter. But just like money, why print fake Ones?
Unfortunately there are counterfeit eagle gold and silver coins out there worth alot more than a quarter.
You just may not hear about it. But it's a big problem in the coin collecting world and you can lose alot of money FAST ...
I like to collect bullion based coins so .... I'm read up on it quite a bit.
==> Ohio dealer reports counterfeit gold American Eagle
==> Detect Fake Gold & Silver Coins With An Easy Ping Test | Gold Silver Worlds

 

[Trever1t]

I find it more interesting that the software recognized the subject.

 

[JoeW]

I got bored and broke out the blight light and some U.S. currency. I snapped out a couple shots and processed one to see what it would look like. Everything went fine with processing but the settings wasn't right. So i changed up a few things and snapped a few more shots. This time while trying to process the photo, I get a message stating this software doesn't support editing money (CS6) and provided me with a link. I didn't think anything of it being I'm looking for an artistic photo and not a counterfeit copy. I clicked on the link and entered my country/currency info and it stated even artistic photos of any kind are deemed illegal.

So my question is this, how are there images posted online such as stock image sites? Is there away to photograph currency in an artistic way or are these people simply breaking the law at their own risk?

Thanks

My response is going to be specific to the US and our currency. I know other countries have restrictions on photography and money but it varies with the country.

North Korea is the largest counterfeiter of US currency today, producing what are called "super notes." Obviously it's impossible to tell for sure just how many counterfeit bills they produce but they acquired enough specialty paper to produce at least $2 billion in supernotes. The quality of their work is so outstanding that much of it can pass through Las Vegas currency scanners. They rely heavily on digital technology and printing to produce the quality of these notes. So the US Secret Service has turned to some of the digital image software companies to build in blocks and warnings as a way to try and minimize the general public from getting in to what the North Koreans have been doing for a while now.

There have been regulations governing the photography of US money for some time. Generally speaking, photos are supposed to be irregular size (either smaller or larger than the actual currency, can't show both the entire front and entire back of the same bill, etc.). The biggest restrictions are on prints.

Some stock photos of US currency predate these restrictions. OR....they work around them (don't show both sides, are in B&W, are bigger or smaller than the actual currency).