Ok, that didn't work out well. ROFL
(Commercial or Product Photography on a SMOOTH nonmetallic surface)
Your pictures didn't have enough light or they are under exposed.
It takes light to see colors .....................................................
Photographing pens can be done several different ways.
There is also different ways to approach photographing pens .
One way is just to start taking mass pictures under different lighting and see if you cant get a couple good photos .
Pretty much the way you took the photos above.
Other way is to read and study and go about this in a way that you understand why your photographs are coming out the way they are.
I have no idea what camera and lens you are using? ( or cell phone )
One or two LED flash lights will work, But us one flash light to start off with because each light is going to make your pen have a glare line or reflection line in the photograph.
If the flashlight lite is to bright or to much on the hard light side ( over exposed )you can rubber ban white cloth over the light but you know or understand that you are now creating light waves that contain polarized electromagnetic waves that when the light come in contact with any smooth non metallic surface will create electromagnetic reflection .
OR in layman terms (Polarized Glare )
You might get a few people who will chime in to help you with your photography.
This can be confusing because you will be dealing with extremely different technics to photographing your pens, and the different problems that come with each light source.
Tungsten lighting creates allot of heat and normally the light needs to be softened so I don't ever suggest continuous tungsten lighting because of its safety hazards .
If your pens are going to be listed for sale online then your pictures need to be as good as your other competitors.....................................
The person who has the pen that looks like the buyer wants and has the best images of that pen is most likely to get the sale.
Your pens images is just as important as the pen if they are going to be sold online or listed in a catalog......
So the question is do you have small LED flash lite and some one to hold it for you :wink: