the photo studio

Yup, that's all it is.  The clip board just holds it all together and keeps everything from getting mangled while being transported around.   The opaque plastic the beads are resting on is one of those flexible cutting boards.  I put a piece of white paper under it and use another one to create shade.  I hover over the beads with the 2nd piece, completely blocking out the sun.  (And I do get the best pictures on the brightest of days.)  You can see in the second photo how close I hold the paper over the beads.  If I am concerned about the back being seen while taking a low down shot, I just curl the plastic to create a bit of a back drop.  And most times any light that creeps in the back only helps illuminate the beads more.