Advise on close up images

[e999sam]

Just playing around with taking a close up image.
The first image is the original and the second I have altered slightly.
I used a halogen lamp to increase the light.
What do photographers usually use to increase the ambient light and what sought of things can you use as a background?

 

[LaFoto]

I put spaces between the two pictures so they show one underneath each other, just so you know why it says "Last edited by LaFoto: ...", ok?

And the white balance looks a lot better in the edited version, the original looks quite yellow, as if your camera had not been set to "tungsten" light or whatever it is called ... but you put that right. Good.

Since I am a mere hobby photographer, I would not have any proper lights here at home, either. But some do, they even have either DIY or ready-made softboxes along with lights and all for their close-ups ... I guess you'll have to wait for those to come around and tell you more. They will also be familiar with brandnames and all that, things I don't know anything about ... sorry.