Here are my Cloud Dome experiments with lighting and drop shadows.

I'm going to do some extensive drop shadows this weekend and the next, for both jewelry and stones.  I will also experiment with different lighting colors and backgrounds.

 Lighting Arrangements: The Cloud Dome is sitting on a clean white Office Poster board on the end of my pool table.

I have 3 fluorescent lights (5000 degrees color) in three Home Depot flood lamp holders ($4 each), one on a stand on the right, one on a stand on the left, and one on a stand in the middle of the table.

I made the 3 stands. I used a 12 inch precut fiber board circle from Home Depot (..I sound like a Home Depot add...), a pipe flange with 4 screw holes that will fit a 3/4 inch back pipe, and 2 - 5 ft 3/4 inch pipes and 1 - 2 ft 3/4 inch pipe.  The bases are about $3 each, the flanges were about $2 each and the pipe was about $1 a foot.  I'll take a close up of the setup this weekend.

Left side lighting means just the left side light is on, right side lighting just the right side light is on...etc...

I occasionally use overhead lighting for really reflective objects, such as marbles.  Marbles are the hardest to photograph.  Mine are clear Pyrex glass with centers of Dichroic Glass, like small round mirrors that reflect anything.  Until now, I have not been able to photograph one of my marbles without hot spots.....thank you Cindy for the Cloud Dome.

For these first few shots with lighting placement, I'm using 'Comet Lady' by Dave Stephens. This demonstrates different textures (smooth and reticulated) , different surfaces (flat and round), different stones ( faceted and cabbed) and different metals (gold and silver) all with one piece.

This first shot has balanced lighting both sides and the front.
This has right side and left side only lighting.
This has left side lighting only.
This has right side and center lighting.
This has right side lighting only.
...more to come.....marbles and stuff.....