Lets answer your questions.
Juliet: Mixing the lites is where your touble is comming from. Here's what to do. Do a test shoot with each type of light tube you have and with all your camera modes ( Day light , tungsten, Fluoresscent ) . Find out which Combo you like the best. Then replace all the tudes so their the same. That way you will have the same amount of light. Then filter If need.
Nancy: Great job on the flower and photo. I am going to use it as an example if I may. Every one take a look at Just Nancy"s " After" photograph. I want you to look closely at the back ground. And the high light on the lower part of the Bead. Now Remember what I said in Fig. 3 Your throwing any information . Here is a case, of not throwing out enought. If Nancy would have set her WHITE POINT a little more aggressively, She would have thrown away that blue bias in the back ground. Making the back ground whiter and brighter. (Contrast; one of the masters of light. Make it your best friend. ) However, here's the down side. While Nancy's back ground now looks better, the high light in the bead will have blow out ( loose detail / information ) Thats a bad thing. But it can easy'ly be fixed. Take a look and my photo I have no High lights on my beads. They have all been retouched out, But we will talk about that latter.
Next up is Pierces * Design,