Sometimes taking pictures of my jewelry and home accessories, is just as fun as creating it. Although I own photography lights and photo tents, I usually prefer shooting in natural daylight. First thing in the morning there is a wonderful soft light that streams through our front windows. Perfect for photo taking! In the late afternoon or early evening, I often take pictures outside on the front porch which by day's end is shaded and an ideal place to capture the perfect light.
I've always admired vintage manuscripts and architectural drawings and often use them as backgrounds in my pictures. I recently purchased a wonderful book, The French Archive of Design and Decoration, which has the most beautiful sketches, designs, patterns and samples of ceramics, wallpaper, textiles, furniture and tableware from the 18th to the early 20th centuries illustrating the evolution of French design. I just ordered the The English Archive of Design and Decoration as well and can't wait until it arrives. (I purchased both titles at Powell's and Amazon for under $20 each.)
I love studying the beautiful pages for inspiration, and you will often find many of them in the background of my pictures.