How I take my Pics,
1.Camera is in MACRO mode, on a Sturdy trip pod. The pen is in a light tent. ( buy one, make one, but get one)
2.Use your zoom lens to crop your pen. ( no one wants to see 80% background and 20% pen)
Unless there is something in the background to see, besides a towl.
3. Camera is in manual mode set to me determaning the shutter speed, I pick the speed and the camera automatically sets the F. stop, the slower the speed, the camera increases the depth of field or focus. Depending on the light source and the intensity, I am usually at a shutter speed of a 4th or eight of a secound, with no flash. (you can not hand hold a camera and get a decent focus under a 60th of a secound.)
4. If you have a good light sourse, which I do, then I take another using the flash, I go to a 60th or 90th on the shutter speed and the flash will ussually not wash out because of the other light source being used, it is more of a fill flash, some shadow will appear, but not bad.
5. Choose a non reflective background. Muslem is a great non reflective material. Also, make your background appealing. The reason I try to make them attractive is I don't want to shoot the same pen twice. Showing a quikie photo on this forum is fine, but if you want to post it on your web site or e mail it to a potential client, you don't want to have to reshoot it, so take your time and do it once. You want to make your photo appealing to some one. Since that potential client is not holding your beautiful pen, your photo has say BUY ME ! I'm gorious ! Not look what I found on the carpet.
I have a little egede, as I took photography classes 25 years ago and did allot of B&W and had my own little dark room at one time. But I am still learning with this digital stuff, and have not committed the money to stepping up for a real digital camera.
Hope some of this was usefull.
Anthony