Ironing

You will need a couple of folded bath towels to make a well padded surface and spray starch or spray water for spritzing. Starch is preferred. Make sure that the flat surface on your iron is absolutely clean. Use a hot steam iron set on cotton/linen, but do not use the absolute highest setting. Bring it down a notch or two so as not to close off the thermostat in your iron. Test the hot iron on a separate piece of material sprayed with starch to see if it will scorch. Reset the iron accordingly.

Make a spongy, very well-padded surface with the towels on a table top. Place the embroidered item with the correct side up on the towels. Spritz very lightly and go over the area quickly a couple of times. Be sure that all of the fabric surrounding and in between the embroidery gets pressed nicely. Wait about 20 seconds to let the fabric cool, as this will prevent scorching.

Turn the item over so that the wrong side is facing up. Now your job is to
simply pop out the embroidery. Spritz again and press down on the iron a firmly while going over the surface. You will pop out the embroidery threads into that padded surface. Turn the piece right side up. If it needs another pressing let it cool first.

Baby Pillows

Use these same ironing directions, but if possible, place the iron inside
the pillow sham and pop out the embroidery. This is a slightly better
method than simply ironing on top of the extra layer of fabric.

Photography

You will need a sufficient amount of light in order to properly capture
detail. Use your lights in your usual manner, but then take a couple of
extra lights and aim them sideways while staying close to the table
surface. This is known as "skimming." This will cast tiny shadows onto the sides of the embroidered motif you are photographing. Employing this
method will enhance the embroidery and the result will be a clearly registered photo that reads well.