After selecting the most beautiful specimens we photograph them using special equipment. The gold pieces are examined through a loupe to locate the best and most interesting artistic areas for framing the shot. If the piece is large and interesting by itself we may photograph the entire piece, or we may get up close using a microscope to get the intricate details. When photographing the whole piece we use a digital camera, simple and effective. Micro-photos are made by mounting a camera to the microscope. In either case, lighting, focus, resolution and depth of field are crucial. Dozens of photos may be taken before getting the perfect, most artistic beauty shot.