The first time I saw a person using gels on a flash I was at a friends wedding. I walked up to the photographer and asked him why was he using it, he briefly mumbled something about it but that was neither the time nor place for him to school me on flash photography.
I became interested and went on the Internet to find out more information from my favorite professor, Mr. Google. (I beg you to laugh).
As usual, tons of websites trying to feed you the same bullshit, boring information I can read in my manual (I hear my old art history professor’s mono tune voice every time I read those sites).
The honest truth about learning how to use gels on a flash is to simply go out and shoot with it. Try, fail, succeed, fail again, and now you know enough to take you back to a higher step one.
However, I stated something that you would probably respond saying, “I know that dumb ass, but I want to know how to use it” and someone else might reply, “Internet battles rules!”
I do thank you for stopping by here to read the tips I do have to offer you. I refuse to be my art history teacher : so I try not to bore you to death!
I want you to remember that I am just like you, I have problems, but I stay and I search, search, search, practice, practice, practice and then share what I learn here with you; to help you better your photography.
When I was searching for: How To Use Gels with a Flash, I found a website by the name of (unlike the rest) LIGHTING MODS – How To…, Do It Yourself (DIY) and a lot of Photography Information by Rui M. Leal that I MUST give full credit to and applaud how beautifully the article was written and thought-out.
The article explains as well as I would have for you. Therefore, I am going to pass you on over to that website to learn more about using Gels on A Flash.
First Time…
Before I do so, you’re probably reading this article because this is your first time playing around with Gels and Flashes or because you want to discover more about it. But what’s the purpose anyway?
From LIGHTING MODS lets see what’s the purpose of using a gel / filter,
“Color correction by using color gels, is a process used in stage lighting, photography, television and cinematography, the intention of which is to alter the overall quality of the light measured on a scale known as color temperature.
Without color correction gels, a scene may have a mix of various colors. Applying color correction gels in front of light sources can alter the color of the various light sources to match. Mixed lighting can produce an undesirable aesthetic when displayed on a television or in a theater.”
After the brief summary below of using gels on a flash I want you to head over to LIGHTING MODS [here] so you can view the article that explained it to me, written by Rui M. Leal
Now let’s get to the basics: 
Using Gels:
What is the gel? The gel / filter for a flash is the little tint thing you see photographers tape over their flashes or strap on with a rubber-band (keeping it hood) or a strap Velcro. There are two gels that you should get and will get very familiar with: CTO – Color Temperature Orange and Window Green.
Starting by strapping on the correct gel using whatever technique is convenient for you, just get the gel strapped on. The SB-900 I use came with a nice little case named Nikon SZ-2, perfectly holds the gels for this case.
If you are using the Nikon SB-900 flash you will see that it came with four gels FL-G1 and FL-G2, which are the Window Greens and the TN-A1 and the TN-A2 which are the Color Temperature Orange filters. Now stare at the gels and get familiar! (Smiles)
Which gel should you strap on?
What I’ve learnt that will help you: know that florescent light might appear as a white light but it’s in fact a green light; shooting under that green light you want to use the green florescent gel “Window Green” over the your strobe head.
Simple right? With florescent green light use green gel.
When you do this color balance, on your digital camera, (if Nikon) go into the menu panel, shooting menu, white balance, and choose the appropriate color balance. When you shoot with the gels on the flash your color will now be color corrected.
As I mentioned before, the only way to get completely familiar with shooting with gels on a flash is to go and practice, practice, and practice.
Repeat the same process with the tungsten light, and I wish you the best of luck with your shooting!
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