Al B

Here is a topic that may not come up often enough. I am not a professional and do tend to point and shoot, but there are some basics we can all benefit from.
 
Lets start with equipment.
A good camera helps, but there lots of them. I like SLR's and have been using them since the early 80's. Now using DSLR. There are plenty of compact cameras out there that will work also. Important is being able to change settings from A,to T to P,or portrait or macro and capability to adjust light balance. The camera does not have to break the bank and if you want a good SLR (film) I have one for reasonable. A tripod is essential to get a good shot and this too could be reasonable as it only needs to hold camera steady but can be difficult to set up so look at reviews before a purchase. A background for the picture helps to eliminate distracting background. Do not use wrinkled fabric. The background should be a neutral color such as gray or gradient gray to white. This can be paper on a roll or plastic in various sizes. You can google search and find many available. The background should go under the work piece. Lighting is essential and it will be very evasive. You will only need one or two light sources and they should be the same color temperature. Do not choose CFL unless you can find the color corrected type. LED's also work just not the white light ones. I use halogen work lights pointed toward the ceiling for reflected light to reduce shadows and glare. You can also use tents and diffusers to soften lights. These you can make from several different fabric types (Tshirt to sheets to shears from curtains)        
This covers the minimum for photographic equipment to get a good picture of your work. You could spend as much as $2000 or more or as little as 200 based on your budget and how you are bitten by the photography bug.
 
I will be covering other areas in future installments.