Thank you both.......These shots were made using my old Sony DSC-F707 a 5MP camera with a nice macro setting. I leave everything on AUTO, the focus, the light sensor etc., the camera is hand held (no tripod) because I like to shoot from different angles and a tripod doesn't give me the flexibility. Since it is digital I don't have to worry about wasting film! These shots were lit using a new gadget I picked up, a Fiber Optic Ring Light used with microscopes, these used to run hundreds of dollars but you can pick one up cheaply on eBay. I place the bead on a piece of black velvet and position the light ring abve it until the shadows disappear, then I start shooting away! The final picture gets cropped to size and I clean up the dust spots that show up on the velvet background in Photoshop. Thew first picture is of the set-up from a distance.....