Forums > Photography Talk > What is the secret of using color gel

Photographer

ReflectionzPhotography

Posts: 15

Bowie, Maryland, US

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.

Dec 08 07 08:17 am Link

Photographer

NC Artistic Images

Posts: 342

Wilmington, North Carolina, US

forget gels, do it in post in CS

Dec 08 07 08:24 am Link

Photographer

Renaissance Dude

Posts: 57

Richmond, Virginia, US

NC Artistic Images wrote:
forget gels, do it in post in CS

I agree...gels are so "analog."  This is a digital world.  I'm giving mine to good will.  smile

Dec 08 07 08:30 am Link

Photographer

Studio Allure

Posts: 2186

Columbus, Ohio, US

depends on what you want to use them for. I didn't understand the reasons for using gels until I was like what the heck. But they are good for background lighting like this
https://modelmayhm-8.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/071125/22/474a42925adb2_m.jpg

or just setting the mood for a photo.
All on personal taste. Some can get carried away and doesn't look good. It's all in how you use it.

Dec 08 07 08:33 am Link

Photographer

Chip Willis

Posts: 1780

Columbus, Georgia, US

Renaissance Dude wrote:

I agree...gels are so "analog."  This is a digital world.  I'm giving mine to good will.  smile

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.

Dec 08 07 10:27 am Link

Photographer

studio kgm inc

Posts: 727

Nashville, Tennessee, US

NC Artistic Images wrote:
forget gels, do it in post in CS

if you ever plan on working in any sort of volume this is an impossible suggestion.  also, with just a little bit of practice its not that hard to do it right in the first place.  all of the colored lighting in my port is in capture with maybe a loose tweak for blending.

to the OP:
my methods probably arent as calculated as youre probably hoping, but what i tend to do is set the lights the same as you would without the gels.  then add gels.  if the color is too weak, your key may be washing it out, so knock it down a bit.  also, if its just a little low in saturation you can always fold it in half and double it up.  that seems to work rather well.

when you buy them, look at the samples and they usually have transmission rates and whatnot, but ive never really paid a whole lot of attention to them.  im a little more from the hip.

Dec 08 07 10:41 am Link

Photographer

Darkroomist

Posts: 2097

Saginaw, Michigan, US

The gist of it is that the lower the power the more saturated the color is.  The higher the power is the closer to white the color will appear.  This is some what counter intuitive.  When you're not seeing enough of the color it's tempting to turn the light up.  Resist that urge andactually turn it down.  The color saturation also depends largely on the color of the background or reflective surface that the light hits.  White is the worst.  Stick with black or dark grey, you'll get deeper colors.

Dec 08 07 10:43 am Link

Photographer

Bruce Muir

Posts: 586

Potomac, Maryland, US

Renaissance Dude wrote:

I agree...gels are so "analog."  This is a digital world.  I'm giving mine to good will.  smile

send um on over...I'm only one state away

Dec 08 07 10:44 am Link

Photographer

Chip Willis

Posts: 1780

Columbus, Georgia, US

ShowtimePhotography 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.

Metering gels is tricky because it varies color to color and the key to getting them right is to experiment and build your own set of "rules".

Deeper Primary colors look great if they are underexposed to me, but it all depends on the subject matter.

Never used them with fog but I bet if done well, could be very nice.

experiment and have fun,

chip

Dec 08 07 10:48 am Link

Photographer

Tizzy Photography

Posts: 1132

Miami, Florida, US

NC Artistic Images wrote:
forget gels, do it in post in CS

LOL no comment

If you have the photoshop skills go for it.. otherwise gels can be a nice asset.
-Tizzy

Dec 08 07 10:48 am Link

Photographer

Troy Thomas Photography

Posts: 118

Kansas City, Missouri, US

I use gels alot.  Its easier than trying to add it in later in PS. I am also not a fan of making more work for myself later.

Meter your lights first then add the gels.  You're probaly shooting digital.  So take a test shoot look at the results.  You might have to turn the lights with the lighter gels,  yellows, oranges and some light reds, down.  WHile the one with darker colors will need to go up.  Adjust take another test.  In the days of film everyone had a polaroid back for their camera and would pull several "roids" before shooting actual film.

Dec 08 07 10:49 am Link

Photographer

LeDeux Art

Posts: 50123

San Ramon, California, US

NC Artistic Images wrote:
forget gels, do it in post in CS

i disagree, good post work starts with a good image, gells can be tricky but fun to play with and the results are not the same as you can do with post as any randomness would be missing

Dec 08 07 10:51 am Link

Photographer

LeDeux Art

Posts: 50123

San Ramon, California, US

https://modelmayhm-2.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/071113/12/4739e3218e4f2.jpg
shot in camera with a fog machien, lit with a soft box

Dec 08 07 10:53 am Link

Photographer

UPoz4me

Posts: 748

Perrysburg, Ohio, US

I usually just put it on and do a few tests to see what looks good.

https://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/071119/01/474126933ec43_m.jpg

Dec 08 07 10:56 am Link

Photographer

Mal at Hidden Creek

Posts: 1227

Lovejoy, Georgia, US

I've found I get the best results using gels on the background when I use flat black paper. I mount a coarse grid with gel filter holder on my background lights and adjust intensity to taste. You can also use complimenting or competing colors in two separate lights and experiment that way.  Just remember working gels is kinda like chroma key - you want to keep the model about 6-8 feet from the background to avoid light spill on the model.

While some like ring lights, I often prefer a medium grid on a 7-10 inch reflector with various filter gels (for light skins a light amber is nice). Once I have the main, fill, hair and background lights metered in place, I place the amber gelled light within inches of camera position and at the model's nose level - she gets a nice skin tone without spill onto other elements of the scene.

Yep digitially dependent, photoshop addicted shooters can achieve some of the same results in photoshop - my time is more valuable than to throw it away on post production work.  I prefer doing it in camera.

Dec 08 07 10:56 am Link

Photographer

Z_Photo

Posts: 7079

Huntsville, Alabama, US

ren and nc, i see nothing in either of your portfolios that looks remotely like it was lit using gels.  how can you even consider giving that advice unless you have experience?  if you do, it would greatly lend to your credibility if you showed at least one example.

common sense dictates that many effects are much easier if done before the image ever gets near a computer

Dec 08 07 11:41 am Link

Photographer

S_Felix Photo

Posts: 418

Los Angeles, California, US

Z_Photo wrote:
ren and nc, i see nothing in either of your portfolios that looks remotely like it was lit using gels.  how can you even consider giving that advice unless you have experience?  if you do, it would greatly lend to your credibility if you showed at least one example.

common sense dictates that many effects are much easier if done before the image ever gets near a computer

Remember, this is the new age, it's like explaining how to shoot film to newbies or "GWC". Graphic Artist are photographers so they say lol

Oct 07 08 02:01 am Link

Photographer

Preachers Photography

Posts: 1689

Charlotte, North Carolina, US

Mal at Hidden Creek wrote:
I've found I get the best results using gels on the background when I use flat black paper. I mount a coarse grid with gel filter holder on my background lights and adjust intensity to taste. You can also use complimenting or competing colors in two separate lights and experiment that way.  Just remember working gels is kinda like chroma key - you want to keep the model about 6-8 feet from the background to avoid light spill on the model.

While some like ring lights, I often prefer a medium grid on a 7-10 inch reflector with various filter gels (for light skins a light amber is nice). Once I have the main, fill, hair and background lights metered in place, I place the amber gelled light within inches of camera position and at the model's nose level - she gets a nice skin tone without spill onto other elements of the scene.

Yep digitially dependent, photoshop addicted shooters can achieve some of the same results in photoshop - my time is more valuable than to throw it away on post production work.  I prefer doing it in camera.

Mal is right on... distance is key!

Here are a couple of shots I took at Troy Tomlinson's studio.

RedGell on black background, blue gell camera right, purple camera left and large softbox front camera left.
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/2793407741_0271047832_o.jpg

Gell backlighting, softbox camera left to the front.
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2793408077_b8a6a6bfcb_o.jpg

Oct 07 08 07:39 am Link

Photographer

Brian T Rickey

Posts: 4008

Saint Louis, Missouri, US

NC Artistic Images wrote:
forget gels, do it in post in CS

Not always a good idea.

Oct 07 08 07:47 am Link

Photographer

AUTONOMY

Posts: 3674

Preachers Photography wrote:

Mal is right on... distance is key!

Here are a couple of shots I took at Troy Tomlinson's studio.

RedGell on black background, blue gell camera right, purple camera left and large softbox front camera left.
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/2793407741_0271047832_o.jpg

Gell backlighting, softbox camera left to the front.
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2793408077_b8a6a6bfcb_o.jpg

geat results, even like thway her hair is lit.

Oct 07 08 07:49 am Link

Photographer

Scott Sullivan

Posts: 1175

West Branch, Michigan, US

Renaissance Dude wrote:

I agree...gels are so "analog."  This is a digital world.  I'm giving mine to good will.  smile

Send them to me. I'm a College student and flipping between film, and digital depending on assignments. and I can use them smile

Oct 07 08 08:02 am Link

Photographer

Mark Ellison

Posts: 1210

Phoenix, Arizona, US

JMX Photography wrote:
The gist of it is that the lower the power the more saturated the color is.  The higher the power is the closer to white the color will appear.  This is some what counter intuitive.  When you're not seeing enough of the color it's tempting to turn the light up.  Resist that urge andactually turn it down.  The color saturation also depends largely on the color of the background or reflective surface that the light hits.  White is the worst.  Stick with black or dark grey, you'll get deeper colors.

JMX beat me to it... Main Tip: don't overexpose them or you will lose much of your color saturation. Use a black or white background for better color (black has a deeper color... try it)

Oct 07 08 11:37 am Link

Photographer

Sockpuppet Studios

Posts: 7862

San Francisco, California, US

Ohh gells I have a project that I want to use them for to get some fun gradation in the BG.


If I use a 10' grid and then make sure the color is NOT hitting my model can I get my BG to be two different colors?

Oct 07 08 11:41 am Link

Photographer

Kelly Watkins

Posts: 4144

San Diego, California, US

I've been using gels more and more. I don't meter, but rather play around quite a bit until I get the effect I'm looking for (and take lots of notes while doing it).

It's a lot of fun and easier to experiment with product photography (and dry ice!!) before you throw in people.

Oct 07 08 11:47 am Link

Photographer

MartinImages

Posts: 3872

Los Angeles, California, US

Forget meters..you're shooting digital. Just look at the picture.  If you like it, you're done.  wink

B

Oct 07 08 11:53 am Link

Photographer

stevensphotos

Posts: 69

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

I have gone back to shooting old school on a Blad and I am loving gels. To meter for them on a grey background I use the relective part of my light meter and try to get the reflective reading from the gelled grey back goung to read half a stop lower than what I have metered for the face. I find this usually gives me a nice rich colur in my background but it can vary between colours so either test it on a digital camera or shoot off a quick roid to check your exposure.

Oct 07 08 11:57 am Link

Photographer

American Glamour

Posts: 38813

Detroit, Michigan, US

JMX Photography wrote:
The gist of it is that the lower the power the more saturated the color is.  The higher the power is the closer to white the color will appear.  This is some what counter intuitive.  When you're not seeing enough of the color it's tempting to turn the light up.  Resist that urge andactually turn it down.  The color saturation also depends largely on the color of the background or reflective surface that the light hits.  White is the worst.  Stick with black or dark grey, you'll get deeper colors.

But that is the key.  I use gels all the time in my Nor. Cal. studio.  The key is to keep the gel'd lights at relatively low power.  That means reducing everything else as well.  You also need to develop a good eye for balance, but in the end, you will get some remarkable images.

Oct 07 08 12:01 pm Link

Photographer

Sockpuppet Studios

Posts: 7862

San Francisco, California, US

We need examples in this thread...

Oct 07 08 12:02 pm Link

Photographer

Worlds Of Water

Posts: 37732

Rancho Cucamonga, California, US

They're kinda cool to use in hairlights too.  Here's a blue jell shining down from a boom attached overhead hairlight on TraceyP... wink

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/GaryAbigt/Tracey11.jpg

Oct 07 08 12:07 pm Link

Photographer

ForeverFotos

Posts: 6662

Indianapolis, Indiana, US

For this shot, the light was not aimed directly at the fog....it was aimed at the black background, bouncing a limited amount of light through the fog. This way, the colored light from the gel didn't hit the model. Fog was provided from the top of the background. Since it was a "low-level" fogger, the fog dropped from the top of the background without dissipating much.


https://modelmayhm-4.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/081005/00/48e841cda9cae.jpg

Oct 07 08 12:10 pm Link

Photographer

Billy Soh

Posts: 32

Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

gels are fun. its up to your imagination to use it. if you're familiar with color darkroom it could be even more fun.

Oct 07 08 12:11 pm Link

Photographer

Year of the Dragon

Posts: 3418

San Francisco, California, US

like most things in photography, gels can be used for good or evil.

cameras are more sensitive to the red end of the light spectrum and less to the blue end, this is why normal metering will not be consistent.

Oct 07 08 12:14 pm Link

Photographer

Photography by Carmen

Posts: 187

Weatherford, Oklahoma, US

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.

experiement before shooting, take some test shots with different gels to find a look you like. no one knows for sure except when you play around with them to see something you want. thats what i do

Oct 07 08 12:19 pm Link

Photographer

Real World Images

Posts: 702

Colorado Springs, Colorado, US

I am not a gel master and I have two examples of bad gel usage from my port to prove it.
https://modelmayhm-6.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/080807/09/489afb84a9dec_m.jpghttps://modelmayhm-6.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/080806/18/489a2124cafbc_m.jpg

In both cases I didn't pay attention to family of angles, bounced the light off of a white background and got undesired spill onto the models and it made their hair look funny in a bad way.

I paid a little more attention in this case:
https://modelmayhm-6.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/081006/08/48ea06ad1dee0_m.jpg
Paid attention to my angles and bounced the light onto a black backdrop to reduce spill. It came out exactly like I wanted it to.

I metered the strobes for the model, then I dialed in the backdrop once the gel was on by chimping. It didn't take but 3 shots to reign in.

Oct 07 08 12:20 pm Link

Photographer

ramir

Posts: 326

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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.

fully agree, i'm still trying to work on the basics here with using strobes, i dont even plan on complicating it more with gels *sigh*

Oct 07 08 12:22 pm Link

Photographer

ArtisticVisions

Posts: 1012

Nashville, Tennessee, US

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.

gel sheets show you a transparencey on the sheet behind the gel,primary colors red ,blu green and deep indigo let about 50% of the light thru,use lavenders,magentas,ambers,lighter blues for better saturation especially if using them on a set or backdrop

I might not be a pro photographer but I have worked doing concert lighting since 1979,feel free to ask me anything about mixing colors

Oct 07 08 12:31 pm Link

Photographer

Ron Casas Photography

Posts: 813

Chapin, South Carolina, US

Gels can add great highlight to a photograph, I set these strobes without the gels about 1 stop brighter than my fill then placed the gels over the lights.

https://modelmayhm-4.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/080917/18/48d18add4d0c4.jpg

I think in this case the gels intertwine the subject and the background.

Ron

Oct 07 08 12:33 pm Link

Photographer

Brian Morris Photography

Posts: 20901

Los Angeles, California, US

Use the gels to accent your image.... don't use them as your mains. Done with skill they can make an image look great. To much and you are in a rave! We paint stage wash with them all the time!

Oct 07 08 12:34 pm Link

Photographer

ArtisticVisions

Posts: 1012

Nashville, Tennessee, US

ForeverFotos wrote:
For this shot, the light was not aimed directly at the fog....it was aimed at the black background, bouncing a limited amount of light through the fog. This way, the colored light from the gel didn't hit the model. Fog was provided from the top of the background. Since it was a "low-level" fogger, the fog dropped from the top of the background without dissipating much.


https://modelmayhm-4.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/081005/00/48e841cda9cae.jpg

that is a really cool image,great work

Oct 07 08 12:34 pm Link

Photographer

Brooklyn Bridge Images

Posts: 13200

Brooklyn, New York, US

Wow the BS in this thread ...
Underexpose on the gel light gave me the best results
Colors would be washed out on normal settings.
The backdrop color does affect your setting Black or gray seamless showed the gel color better and didn't need the same setting as a white backdrop.
https://modelmayhm-4.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/081007/12/48eb91186eda6_m.jpg

Oct 07 08 12:34 pm Link