The scenery is very suitable for taking photos. You need to make sure you're not getting any reflections from a light ceiling or other background. Make sure you peel off the coating on the shiny side as others have pointed out. I used both the glossy and matte side for the jewelry photos. I can't comment on the durability yet as I've only used it a few times. I find the shiny side scratches pretty light so be careful with that.