Does flash gels really help?

[treknology]

Hi,

Newbie here. Recently just got a flash. Flash can capture the details but cant capture the mood of the environment, esp when in tungsten lighting. I am just wondering if flash gels is able to allow the flash to capture details and tungsten mood at the same time?

Anyone have experience in this?

 

[pinholecam]

You need to use flash more correctly rather than thinking of the next better gear.
You can even take the photo and then add warmth in PP for many photos.
Yes, a gel can help give a warmer flash lighting if that is what you need.

Do visit the strobist website for more information :
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/12/on-assignment-eke-in-paris.html

 

[miaoteh]

Hi,

Newbie here. Recently just got a flash. Flash can capture the details but cant capture the mood of the environment, esp when in tungsten lighting. I am just wondering if flash gels is able to allow the flash to capture details and tungsten mood at the same time?

Anyone have experience in this?

yes flash gel definitely helps to balance the flash color with the ambient light.

if you use flash under yellowish ambient light, and
1) if you use auto WB, camera will auto select flash WB, the subject (lit by flash) will have correct color, but the ambient light will appear very orangy/yellowish (too warm).

2) if you choose tungsten/incandescent WB, the ambient light will have near correct color (varies with diff type of lighting), but the subject/area lit by the flash will appear blueish.

by using a CTO gel on your flash, and WB set to tungsten, your flash color will now have similar output with the ambient light.

read the strobist website provided by pinholecam if you wish to know more.

 

[m3lv1nh0]

Read this wonderful article about Gels and flash. http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/26/flash-and-tungsten-lighting/

 

[treknology]

Thanks guys, will read and know more about it......

 

[karnage]

If you mean you want the mood of tungsten lighting, I assume you intentionally want the picture to be very orange? In that case, if you're not using flash, just set the WB to anything other than Tungsten. If you're using flash and you're setting the WB to Tungsten, you may need more than 1 piece of tungsten-balanced gel for that orange look... or of course, you could just add warmth in post. =)

 

[kineticworks]

Also thought of getting a set but I find it rather difficult to deloy with sto-fen Omni-Bounce. Unless you are willing to trim down a bit. Not sure how others solve this issue. Most of the time I see people shooting without light modifier, just the gel alone.

 

[Blur Shadow]

It's really useful once you figure out how to use them.