Some young photographers, many who are just starting out on their photographic journey, get so hung up on not having the equipment they feel they must have to create the photographs they want to make, become paralyzed. Paralyzed to the point of not making images but worrying about the equipment they think they need instead. When you’re just starting out, the truth is the list of required equipment is pretty daunting and this is especially so today because, in addition to the required cameras and lenses, you’ll need a relatively powerful computer system in addition to your image making tools.
Things get even more scary if you are lucky enough to find your way into a professional photography studio and see a set-up that uses a dozen light stands and five or six lights. Considering that every cent of a beginner’s photography equipment budget goes towards necessary cameras, lenses, and a computer system, it’s easy to see why many young photographers freak out at not having the thousands of dollars required for a top tier lighting system. But all is not lost and it is possible to assemble a lighting system that can produce professional quality images and still only cost (relatively speaking) pennies. Doing so is the subject of this tutorial: Cheap Lights. Let’s go!