ReflectionzPhotography wrote:
I guess the question is how do you meter color gel to get the best colors out of them.Sample maybe with using fog etc.

Your answer will be found with a flash meter and the ratio of your gel light to your main light you use for the exposure.

Set as a 1:1 and you will see something close to the filter color.. increase the stop ( faster ) of your gel light in relation  to your main light reading ….will produce a  deeper  color …decrease your f stop  reading  from the gel ( smaller aperture )  and you will see a lighter  saturation color   of the gel .
If you expose (chromes or digital ) in half stop ratios  to 2 ½ stops  above and below your main light you can in essence dial in your gel saturation color to whatever you or your client would like to see in the final image just short of black or white .
Set up your gel on to a medium gray paper( lighter or darker backdrops will increase or decrease the  brightness of the gel color  ) ….Expose for your flash meter reading..That will be your base filter color saturation … bracket up and down in half stop increments..Record these images and you will have a set of dial in saturation   values that you can use for any main light exposure f stop .

Distance has practically nothing to do with controlling the saturation of your gel color other than allowing you to achieve a f stop reading on your gel light that can’t be set with your power pack controls .

But remember this will change the color  gradient effect across a backdrop of the gel light.

Distance is best used for adjusting the gradient effect of the color not the saturation

A better method than using distance when your equipment limits the amount of light you can control (up or down) for setting your gel f stop ratio is to increase or decrease   your main subject exposure light which will change your subject exposure f reading and thus allow a means of adjusting the gel ratio by adjusting your main light  and not the gel light itself .

Chip Willis wrote:

Why are people compelled to give nonsensical advice when their own experience is lacking on the subject at hand?

The OP didn't ask how to do gels in PS, he asked for specific into on using gels while shooting. If you don't know, then it would probably  be better if you never said a word.

Perhaps working on both of your own portfolios should be more of  a concern.

AMEN!!!!!