Gel'in saves money!

[Uncle Frank]

I had lunch with a friend yesterday, and he brought me a nice present... a Roscoe sample book with dozens of colored gels! I've never used gels before, and have no idea how you're supposed to attach it to the flash head. Rather than taping the gel, I just licked it, and it adhered nicely .

The gift was timely. I bought a backdrop recently, and have seen folks using gel'ed backlights to get variety without buying multiple muslins. I set up an experiment using my standard tabletop setup, but replacing the foam core board background with my muslin backdrop.



I drafted the always cooperative Teddy as my model. First I shot with no backlight, then with a bare flash backlight, and finally with a variety of gels.



The results look promising, but after all was said and done, Teddy preferred the ungelled version .

[Brooks]

Try positioning your backdrop farther behind Teddy so that you can really light it separately.

If you can keep your white light from exposing the background, and light the background with just the gelled light, then you can have deep rich colors.

I think if the yellow gel was richer, more of a honey color, then Teddy would eat it up. He is a bear after all.

Check out these gelled examples....

[Mark McCall]

Great samples!!
I agree about moving the subject away from the background.

I'd also add the fact that the darker the background, the richer, more saturated the colors of the gel will be.

[Uncle Frank]

Originally Posted by Brooks

Try positioning your backdrop farther behind Teddy so that you can really light it separately. If you can keep your white light from exposing the background, and light the background with just the gelled light, then you can have deep rich colors.

I ran out of room, Brooks, but check the shot at the upper left corner of the array. It was taken without a background light. As you can see, the speedlights at camera left and right didn't put very many photons on the backdrop.

I think if the yellow gel was richer, more of a honey color, then Teddy would eat it up. He is a bear after all.

You're right! He liked this version.

[DAVE PROUTY]

Along the lines of Brooks' comments, if you get a meter reading of three stops less exposure from your main light on the background, your gels will really be well saturated using a background light. Creating a series of exposures with your gels can help you control the color, and intensity of your background. Just think in terms of difference in stops from the main light.

I wish you could see this explained and demonstrated by Ed Pierce, which is where I learned of this. His video explained, and demonstrated it very well. He could mimic any color to match an article of clothing brought in by a client. Cool stuff!

[Danlphot]

A brown-tone old masters background and a good selection of gels is a great combination for variety and vibrant backgrounds.

Dan

[Harry]

Great examples Frank.

Model is too square to the camera, crotch shot and fuzzy around the eyes.

Ok you guys! Where do you get the nifty graphics for showing your light setups?

[Uncle Frank]

Originally Posted by Harry

Great examples Frank.

Model is too square to the camera, crotch shot and fuzzy around the eyes.

Ok you guys! Where do you get the nifty graphics for showing your light setups?

Try this link, Harry: Lighting Setup Tools - FM Forums

[Bob Stothfang]

I'd also add the fact that the darker the background, the richer, more saturated the colors of the gel will be.

I fully agree with that statement. A black seamless with a red gel creates a nice deep red color. On the other hand a white seamless gives you a light pink tone.

[Harry]

What is the best way to get the background light to light a larger part of the backgraound. Type of light, modifier (yes, no) distance to background, position, height? I've been playing with a the standard 7" reflector on my AB 800 and can't seem to get the light to properly splay across the background.

[DAVE PROUTY]

Pull it farther from the background and put a diffuser on it. The diffuser alone might get what you need.

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by Harry

Ok you guys! Where do you get the nifty graphics for showing your light setups?

That Fred Miranda-link doesn't seem to work, Frank.

Harry, why don't you try this one.

[Danlphot]

Originally Posted by Harry

What is the best way to get the background light to light a larger part of the backgraound. Type of light, modifier (yes, no) distance to background, position, height? I've been playing with a the standard 7" reflector on my AB 800 and can't seem to get the light to properly splay across the background.

Harry,

I use a White Lightning with a 7" reflector and honeycomb grid. The light is positioned about 8' from the background at camera right (about even with the subject) and angled toward the center of the background. The grid keeps the colored light from spilling onto the subject. The light spread is controlled by the grid I choose (10, 20, 30 or 40 degree).

Dan

[Harry]

Thanks, I was trying to do this way, way too close to the background. I have grids as well, will try again tonight.

[Mike Luter]

I love my gels... working with a gray muslin makes working with gels easy

[Ed Shapiro]

I love Rosco materials! Send for their catalog- there are so many items that are primarily intended for cinamatography that are great for still work as well. They have all kinds of reflective and diffusion materials, each with its own special properties.

As far as gelling the background, here is what I have observed at my studio. If you want a textured or painted background that is best for using gels, it is best to find one that is neutral gray. If you have a multi colored background you can run into problems with "dead spots". As an example- I have a background that has delicate touches of pink- it picks up nicely on pink and pastel flowers in bridal portraiture. If I was to use a green gel it would neutralize the pink areas and create muddy spots. With the gray background I have used more that one gel on different lamp heads or on different parts of the same lamp head to create interesting variations in color mass.

Many of the Rosco colors are available in various densities or light transmissions- some have built in diffusion lawyers so different levels of brightness and darkness in the background can be achieved without even changing power seatings if a wide range of outputs are not built in to you background light.

Where textured and painted backgrounds are concerned, I prefer ones with good contrast- different degrees of softening can be had by increasing or reducing depth of field or by varying the distance form the subject to the background.

Even in low key work, I prefer some subtle detail in the background rather than a jet black effect, I like to use my background to provide color or tonal mass. I find that this gives my images more separation and dimensionality. Sometimes jet black backgrounds take on the appearance of a cut and paste job.

Just some suggestions Ed