Additional Light Sources
You can add your own light to the scene. For example, reflectors have been used by photographers for over a hundred years, such as in the early days of the silent movies. In addition, you can bring a myriad of lights that you can set up in a photo situation.
Some photographers will bring their own bright bulbs that can be screwed into standard house lamps. These can be standard house bulbs (called incandescent or tungsten) or specially color-balanced photo bulbs. However, if the wattage of the bulb is too high for the lamp, the bulb could start a fire.
Photographers have always used large collapsible reflectors. In sunlight, for example, these bounce light back into the face of subjects so that the daylight does not produce characteristic deep shadows.
If you have a video camera, you can use the light that comes with it for your digital photography. You can also purchase a variety of studio lights that clip to stands or that are bounced into a silver reflecting umbrella.
You do not have to buy all your equipment at a photography store. You can improvise and save some money. At an auto parts store, for example, you can buy large folding reflectors that people put in their windshields to keep the sun from heating up their cars. These same inexpensive and portable items can be used in photography to reflect light onto a subject. If you do a lot of lighting, you should carry a roll or two of duct tape. Tape down extension cords and the bottom of light stands to keep people from tripping over or upsetting your equipment.
