Photography Studio and Lighting Forum

Hosted by fabulous Florida-based professional fashion photographer, Asylum Steve, this forum is for discussing studio photography and anything related to lighting.
Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Ghost
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Crystal Lake, IL
    Posts
    1,028

    Colored Gels for Flash (portraits)

    Hi Everyone,

    I want to add some color to my portraits. The only artificial lighting I use are 550EX and 420EX flashes. I know there are gels to buy that I could easily velcro to the flash guns but I'm not sure what will work well.

    I found out the hard way that a colored marker on plastic doesn't work well I'd like to buy a whole series of colors cheaply so that I can cut them up and shape them however I need and not worry about wasting money.

    Any Ideas or sources to purchase?

    Is something like this appropriate? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...u=74132&is=REG

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Southeast Wisconsin
    Posts
    2,505

    Re: Colored Gels for Flash (portraits)

    Ya know, this might be off the wall and might not work, but I wonder...


    Do you have a theatre supply store anywhere near you? I'm wondering if you couldn't walk in and pick up a gel swatch book (I believe they're free). The swatches are about 1" x 4" (each brand varies in size), and might just be exactly the right size to fit over a flash, if you created some sort of housing to slip them into...

    You'd get probably over a hundred colors in each swatch book, and they'd probably have 3 or 4 different brands of swatch books.

    Here's a link to show what the books look like:
    http://www.fullstageonline.com/store...hp3?cat=286922
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  3. #3
    don't tase me, bro! Asylum Steve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Middle Florida
    Posts
    3,667

    That's exactly what I did...

    I picked up a Rosco gel sampler pack (pretty sure that was the brand) some years ago with at least a hundred or so swatches. The size fit perfectly over my Vivitar 283 flash.

    Needless to say, I got my money's worth out of them.

    Also, Calumet and B&H sell the typical lighting gel packs. More money for much less of a selection, but larger sheets. These are cheap enough that they can be cut up into smaller sizes and used over your flash or hot lights...
    "Riding along on a carousel...tryin' to catch up to you..."

    -Steve
    Studio & Lighting - Photography As Art Forum Moderator

    Running the Photo Asylum, Asylum Steve's blogged brain pipes...
    www.stevenpaulhlavac.com
    www.photoasylum.com

  4. #4
    Ghost
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Crystal Lake, IL
    Posts
    1,028

    Re: Colored Gels for Flash (portraits)

    I went to rosco and requested a swatch pack online for free. Thanks for the tip Steve. I'll find out soon enough whether they're large enough to cover the flash. If not, at least I'll have a better idea of colors I might like to order.

  5. #5
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Southeast Wisconsin
    Posts
    2,505

    Re: Colored Gels for Flash (portraits)

    Steve, I've already got 3 different swatch books and have been pondering this for months. My question is, how do you attach them to your flash? (I have yet to purchase a flash)
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  6. #6
    Ghost
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Crystal Lake, IL
    Posts
    1,028

    Re: Colored Gels for Flash (portraits)

    You know kelly I forgot to thank you too. Thanks!

    Obviously I've never attached the fitlers to my flash before but I planned on using sticky-sided velcro. I thought I'd be able to put some velcro on the flash and put some velcro on the filters. I hope it works out that way

    Steve, I'd also like to see Kelly's question answered.

  7. #7
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Southeast Wisconsin
    Posts
    2,505

    Re: Colored Gels for Flash (portraits)

    Trevor, the swatches will be just about the size of the face of your flash, with maybe a millimeter or two overlap, so I'm not sure how you'd velcro them directly to your flash. I'm thinking maybe a cotton sleeve or something that you could slip over the flash unit (I'm thinking something like a sock ), with a rectangular opening cut in the top, perhaps a clear plastic sleeve sewn in that you could slip the gels into. I suppose you could then velcro the sock to the flash unit.

    Just what I see in my imagination. I'm curious how Steve did it.


    Oh, and Trevor, thanks for remembering me. My spirits are a bit low today so it means a lot.
    Last edited by opus; 10-29-2004 at 03:59 PM.
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  8. #8
    don't tase me, bro! Asylum Steve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Middle Florida
    Posts
    3,667

    The tried and true pro method...)

    Quote Originally Posted by kellybean
    how do you attach them to your flash? (I have yet to purchase a flash)
    I just used gaffer's tape, covering up as little of the gel as possible...
    "Riding along on a carousel...tryin' to catch up to you..."

    -Steve
    Studio & Lighting - Photography As Art Forum Moderator

    Running the Photo Asylum, Asylum Steve's blogged brain pipes...
    www.stevenpaulhlavac.com
    www.photoasylum.com

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •