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Homemade Studio Lights

Since digital photography revolutionized the industry, more and more people have taken up the hobby. Photography is called the art of light and it is what sets the professionals apart from the amateurs. The best photographers learn to manipulate natural light to suit their purposes and learn to create lighting situations with studio lights. If you're thinking of taking your photography skills to the professional level, you'll need some studio lights. They don't have to be costly; in fact, you may have what you need in your garage.

Things You'll Need

2 shop lights with stands
Small clip-on desk lamp
Small hooded lamp on a stand
Aluminum foil
White muslin fabric
Accordion car shade
Poster board
Silver and gold spray paint

Instructions

- 1
  Hang a length of white muslin fabric behind your subject to create a soft natural light that can be enhanced with reflectors.
- 2
  Use two shop lights for your main source of light. They come on a stand and are available at hardware and home supply stores. The light needs to be distributed more evenly so hang a white sheet in front of it to spread the light across your space. Be sure the sheet isn't touching the bulb, as these lights run hot and should be turned off when not in use.
- 3
  Make your smaller light the directional light. This is the light that shines on your subject and can be used to separate them from your backdrop.
- 4
  Take your aluminum foil and fashion it into a cone shape. Attach the wide end to your small clip-on lamp. This is called a snoot and it points the light very directly toward the subject's hair. Avoid using it in the case of balding clients.
- 5
  Manipulate the lighting further with your reflectors. Place a reflector opposite a light source to bounce a softer light back onto your subject. Paint your poster board, one side silver and the other gold. The colors reflect different tones and can be used to match skin or apparel.

Photography