Swapped my desk lamp for a $20 clip-on work light from Home Depot

Honestly my studio lighting was making me crazy, shadows all over the place when I'd try to photograph small pieces. I grabbed one of those cheap clamp lights with the aluminum reflector and aimed it at my work surface. The difference was immediate, way more even light and I could actually see the texture of the paint. Has anyone else tried ditching expensive gear for basic hardware store stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

green.mason8d ago

Read somewhere that a lot of film set grips actually use those clamp lights for fill lighting because the reflectors are so good. Great way to save money for sure.

nancy38d ago

Totally agree, those clamp lights are a hidden gem. Helped a buddy shoot a short film in his garage with three of them and some diffusion paper, looked way better than the price would suggest. The aluminum reflectors really do throw a nice even light, not sure why people spend hundreds on fancy panels when this works just as well for small setups.