You have options. First, if the piece is to framed, then clip off the stand and
scan it. Place the piece on the scanner bed, cover it with the background of your choice, then set the scanner controls (they can be the same, similar, different, or a combination of all three depending on the scanner and its software). Scan at a high resolution. I use 600 dpi and 'color photo' on my Epson scanner. I save the original then crop, resize (300 dpi for print; 96/72 dpi for web), and 'save as' using my image manipulation software (in my case Photoshop Elements 11). I keep the original scan intact and two copies for whatever I need. I rarely, if ever, need to do any color manipulation or sharpening. Mostly I'm rubber stamping out flecks of lint or dust on the black background.
No scanner? No problem. Unless you're using a very cheap digital camera, you generally have the option of setting 'white balance'. This allows the camera to compensate for sunlight, partial sunlight, overcast, incandescent light, florescent light, and other lighting of various color temperatures. Proper lighting and white balance are the two most importance aspects of achieving proper color in a photo.
You can get away with holding the camera in bright outdoor light because the shutter speed will be fast. If the camera has an image stabilization feature, use it. Otherwise, use a tripod and a cable release or timer.
Digital auto-focus cameras tend to have their primary focus point(s) weighted to the center of the image screen - if not a center point, then a percentage of the center area. Better cameras allow the user to pick one or more focus points, focus on those, and then re-orient the camera. In nearly all cases the camera is looking for contrast - light versus dark; a black boot against a light gray horse, a white cross belt against a blue jacket. The better the camera, the better the light/dark discrimination.
I rarely use a flash as it tends to wash out color. I use either white balanced ambient light (on the tripod), or a series of small directional clamp-on work lights with color corrected bulbs and diffusers (tracing velum). You can use any color background you like, but most framed flats seem to be displayed with a black background. You can also use a medium gray. Gray will not alter the camera's perception of color (assuming proper white balance) and there are usually no issues when using auto-focus. If there are, use manual focus (camera permitting). I use gray when photographing round figures.
I made a small light box using a 12" x 15"(ish) cardboard box. It stands on its tall end and most of the sides and top were cut out and covered with the above mentioned tracing velum. The interior has a gray sheet of poster paper taped to the top back and allowed to come down in a gentle curve where it's taped at the bottom. Swing arm desk lights and clamp-on lights shine through the top and sides, while a clamp-on key light shines into the front. The box took about ten minutes to make and the setup and teardown takes less than five minutes. I've been using a Nikon Coolpix 5000 auto-focus digital camera for over 12 years now, but we've recently acquired a Nikon D5300. The D5300 has considerably more functionality including image stabilization and manual focus. My wife the family shutterbug, so when it comes to cameras, what mama wants, mama gets.
Do keep in mind these are all generalizations in terms of capabilities. You gets what you pays for...
Glen
Edit: This was supposed to post after Michael's post. Seems I'm a slow typer...
