Light is the primary source of energy for the universe. It is the central image of many religions and the photographer's chief resource. The word "photography" derives from the Greek and means, literally, “light writing.”

From the relentless power of full sun over water to the beam from a single candle, it is light photographers play with, light in its many moods and manifestations that we capture on film.

Lighting and exposure
The challenge in lighting close-ups is having enough light so you and your camera can focus, while evenly distributing the light to prevent shadows. With flashes, you get deep depth of field, and the extremely short bursts of light at close distances prevent camera or subject movement from blurring. But sometimes a flash will change the photo's color or cause an overexposure because it's too close to the subject. In these cases, it's best to provide another source of light.

Get creative. Use aluminum wrapped cardboard or mirrors as refractors, or set up a homemade miniature lighting tent to achieve diffused lighting. If you're inside, try different household lamps. Since you're using a digital camera, you have the freedom to experiment, check out the results, and then try something completely different.