Reflector

For close-up and macro, the Lastolite 30cm is adequate and portable (folds into a bag 15 cm across). It is silver on one side and white on the other, giving a useful difference in diffuse quality of the reflected light. There is a gold/white version too, but the gold is very warm - it does change the colour temperature appreciably. Hope this helps.

Look at the previous post about ring lights. The diffuser Sem suggests looks very good for macro work, I just ordered one. Click his link, then scroll down the to find the link to the sellers web site. Or, you can do a search for: Diffuser for on-camera flash/speedlight, on that famous auction web site (you know the one). I have no affiliation with the seller or that web site.

Go to your local 99 Cent or dollar store and get a car windshield sunshield for a buck. They are very flexible and silver reflective on one side and white foam on the other. I use 'em and a friend went and got one today for shooting hummingbirds. Can't beat the price or versatility. Easy to customize as you can cut them up and staple them to various size backings.

Just read this and was about to suggest the cheap windscreen protector route myself. I see I've been beaten to it!

Anyway, I'll second the suggestion. The one I've got is dimpled silver on one side and pure white washable plastic on the other. It folds down to a pocketable size and opens out to around 5 foot by 2 foot, with a couple of tapes at either end that could be used to stretch it between lighting stands or hang it vertically. I bet the same thing in a photo dealers would cost around $50 US or 30 UK pounds. I'm on the lookout for a gold version now. ;-)

The best reflector I've found for the money is the Photoflex MultiDisc 5'n 1 reflector. Photoflex calls it a five-surface reflector but it's actually four reflectors (white, silver, gold, soft-gold) and a white translucent diffuser. Well made, durable, easy to use. I like my 42" MultiDisc well enough that I'd get a smaller one for better portability or to stuff in a camera bag. The 42" version folds down into a disc around 12" or so in diameter.

For macro photography you might Google around and see if Adorama still carries a nifty around-the-lens reflector they sold several years ago. It was only around 12" or less in diameter and fit around the lens, like some macro flash rigs.

I used makeshift reflectors for years, and still use white posterboard indoors - usually I'll tape 'em up with Scotch/3M blue masking tape (great stuff, should be in every camera bag). But they're not practical in the long run, especially outdoors or setting up on location. And the windshield sunscreens aren't a very good solution - they produce uneven reflected lighting with hot spots. Sure, they seem okay until you try a well made photo reflector - then you'll see how much a compromise the makeshift solutions are.

However, one of my favorite makeshift solutions that I still use regularly is a translucent diffuser that fits around the lens for use with on-camera flash for closeups. The diffuser material is just fairly heavy sheets of translucent plastic from an arts and crafts store - it's used to make templates by stained glass hobbyists. It's smooth on one side and has some "tooth" on the other for drawing. It's easy to tuck into almost any camera bag since it's about the size of a large postcard. I've used this homebrewed diffuser for several years with my compact digital camera for softening the on-camera flash when photographing butterflies, flowers, etc.