Flash Gels

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I've now got some Lee Flash gels from Fotofox on Ebay, and I think I have labelled them all correctly, lol. Hmm

Anyway, I want to learn to use these as obviously important to flash photography, but n ot sure when to use them

I have quite a few of the CTO, CTB at various strengths and special effect ones.

I've ready people can use the CTO for sun rise/sets of subjects, but I also have special effect amber gel or yellow/sun gel. Should I be using those isntead and leave the CTO/CTB's for places with tungsten / flourescent light.

Also, silly question, but obviously the CTO/CTB change the colour temp, but how do I know the colour temp of the scene when I get there and decide which CTO or CTB to use?

Have to say I am more interested in lighting the background of a subject with flash gels and adding a bit of colored light to a subject i.e, a model.
 
Go to Lee lightings website and you can order for free sample swob booklets.

They are massive and have every Gel they make sampled.

These are great because the...

1) Will confirm you labelled your gels correctly
2) Are the perfect size to fit over a speedlight or standard flash (So free gel, yes!)
 
Is it not plus green/colour temperature green that is needed to match fluorescent light? All he eBay places seem to sell colour temperature blue but I'm not sure what it's used for. Generally to decide what gel to use I set the white balance to what I think the light is, then take an ambient exposure then gel my flash and take another test shot
 
wealthysoup said:
Is it not plus green/colour temperature green that is needed to match fluorescent light? All he eBay places seem to sell colour temperature blue but I'm not sure what it's used for. Generally to decide what gel to use I set the white balance to what I think the light is, then take an ambient exposure then gel my flash and take another test shot
Click to expand...

I mainly use blues to create day time effects / lights when I'm stuck in a room with no windows. or its the evening and I missed a day time shot.
 
it depends on the fluorescent you're in. The older style sickly fluorescents are a green color so yes, the appropriate gel to match it is a flourescent-ish green color. Newer fluorescent are a mix. Similarly (for nikon at least) I find that the CTO match tungsten light pretty well. A mate shoots canon and likes CTS. I only carry 3 gels with me- 1/4 and 1/1 CTO plus fluorescent green for matching existing light. If the light is bright tunsten or a mix of tungsten and halogen/sunlight then a 1/4 CTO is about right. It is also a nice general purpose shooting people color as it gives nice warm skin tones. If I'm in a dark bar that only has low tungsten light I'll go 1/1 full CTO and it matches pretty well. I find it is better to be a little warmer on the flash and let the background be cooler (via WB temp) than the other way around. Shoot raw and pick the color temp for your primary subject later. If you're trying to match existing light, just get it pretty close to even and balance later (though I do set my WB to tungsten when I have the 1/1 on since it will default the RAW file there when I import into A3).

For studio/modeling with other colors, I can't help.

Thanks,
Rick
 
DPBP said:
Go to Lee lightings website and you can order for free sample swob booklets.

They are massive and have every Gel they make sampled.

These are great because the...

1) Will confirm you labelled your gels correctly
2) Are the perfect size to fit over a speedlight or standard flash (So free gel, yes!)
Click to expand...

I don,t think you will get them free anymore,it would be great if you find that you can.:)
 
jockwav said:
I don,t think you will get them free anymore,it would be great if you find that you can.:)
Click to expand...

Yep you can they are called Swatch Books, either come in colour order, or code order (Which is way more complicated...)

I got mine about 2 weeks ago!
 
Got a direct link to it?.:)
 
Fond them here for £0.01 →HERE←
And here for £0.00 →HERE←

But Postage on both +VAT is in excess of £10
:'( :eek: :'( :eek: :'( :eek: :'( :eek: :'( :eek: :'(
 
Cheers for that Dave,will give it a try.:)
 
Done,see what happens now.:)
 
Got an e-mail back from them:

[FONT=&quot]Hello [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Many thanks for your interest in LEE Filters. Please contact one of our lighting distributors on the attached list who will be happy to help you with your request for a swatch book. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kind Regards[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Louise Benning[/FONT]
 
I contacted LEE yesterday and they pointed me at their distributor list. I had to pay delivery, went with www.stage-electrics.co.uk they only wanted about £6 for delivery (they've got a few free swatches so may as well order a few!)
 
Guys, if your after cheap Gels etc, then Lee aren't the only people to purchase from.

When I'm on a big job we often order Gel from "Thats a Wrap". Its not Lee, but identical. I have been on so many sets where the debates about if they are the same / different from Lee gets quite built up, i've seen this end up fights before! But, for all intents and purposes their Gel is very good, and CHEAPER!!! You can get three rolls of Gel for the price of 1 Lee lighting Gel.

Also, the other thing they sell thats exellent is black tin foil. (Lee = £25 a roll, Thats a Wrap = £11) Tin foil = Snoots, black outs, place on practical lights you can't turn off etc....

http://www.taw.eu.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=42&zenid=on3cmq4kb0stkj3fq5p4cc9511
 
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