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!

DTown TV is a show that covers digital photography tips for you by hosts, Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski, two of the most respected professionals in the photography community.

Backgrounds Of The Hosts for Your New Favorite (to be) Show:

Scott Kelby: “Scott Kelby was just named the #1 best-selling computer book author for the 5th year in a row. His best-selling titles include: The Digital Photography Book (Vols. 1 and 2), The Adobe Photoshop CS4 Book for Digital Photographers, and The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers.

Scott is also the President of NAPP, the publisher of Photoshop User and Layers magazine, and chief “Photoshop Guy” on the popular podcast, PhotoshopUser TV.”

Matt Kloskowski: “Matt’s business card says, “Photoshop Guy” because best-selling author, Photoshop instructor (for conferences, seminars, workshops, online training, DVDs, etc.), photographer, co-host of PhotoshopUser TV, blogger and podcaster for Photoshop Killer Tips and Lightroom Killer Tips (the web’s #1 Lightroom resource), Photoshop User magazine contributor, and Education and Curriculum Developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) doesn’t fit.”

DTown TVclosed with twenty-four, consecutive, weekly episodes and now the show’s expected to return, this January. The goal of the return is to continue serving you quality tips to help you advance your digital camera handling skills.

What’s New?

The show is reinvented and reformatted covering everything from equipment brands, light, studio, on location, post-processing and it’s expected to have plenty of special guess drop by.

DTown TV promised that no matter what skill level or interest, each episode is suppose to cover a wide range of topics with beneficial tips and photography techniques for Nikon D-Series owners.

Weekly articles will be posted here on this blog Photography For You by DwayneTucker.com keeping you updated with written content of what’s going on at DTown.

Weekly new episodes will be posted to the DTown TV’s website every Thursdays to help you advance your, everything digital photography skills.

With the economy in recession there’s not a soul present who feels comfortable delving into the topic of money. Unless of course you’re one of those paid individuals galavanting around. However, let’s pretend that you were a photographer. One of the least respected, artistic people in society. You have to approach a client whether it be business on a large scale or rather something freelance and minor. Your main concern is getting the job done adeptly and the funds that reward you for doing so. A client’s main purpose is to be granted top tier work while receiving the most feasible bargain. Here’s where the unspoken war begins. As I journey with you through the ins and outs of the “How much should I charge” battle, adhere to the process and soak up the focal points. It can prove to be vital in the imminent future.

A Random Day On The Job:

1. Invisible dollars are those which you pay the client. How the hell is this possible? (Smirks)  Well apparently the labor, electricity used, travel costs, particular lenses instituted for a shoot, and miscellaneous costs implemented through usage of cd/dvds and bandwidth is also taxing.

2. You spend most of your day viewing through your SLR lenses and crouching in awkward positions. As if this wasn’t tiring enough, wait until you venture back to the work place and commence with photo editing (at least if you were a hard working/beautifully obsessed/incessant fight type of photographer).

3. So you’ve actually become so stressed that you see fit to subconsciously cut a few corners. Your work comes out okay (wrinkles face with uncertainty and does “so-so” hand gesture)

The Week After:

Sally Armstrong that you performed the shoot for is having a discussion with a close friend of hers over brunch. She proclaims “Last week my company had some product shoots with this guy Dwayne Tucker from Dwayne Tucker.com. Although he’s a veteran in the photography industry and a photoshop professional he was surprisingly willing to give me a great bargain. Do you believe that he did the job for free? I loved it. He seems so adamant about the photography society and the perks that come along with being a pro photographer. (She proceeds to further document the shoot and gives her brunch mate a thorough walk through of its happenings) By the end of brunch Mrs. Armstrong has single-handedly convinced her colleague that Dwayne Tucker would do the exact same thing for her with proper coaxing. Now as a photographer, this spells disaster. Why may I ask? As a fledgling with your own photography business people tend to view that as a stepping stool to ask certain favors. Your job is to satisfy customers and gain maximum exposure. So ultimately you give in. A pattern commences and a chain reaction of more free shoots ensues. OH NO!

Hunker Down And Be A Man About It:

One must speak softly and carry a big stick. Ode to Roosevelt. So in all actuality it isn’t inane that you know your worth. It’s not ludicrous that you UNDERSTAND the costs surrounding a shoot. It’s not crazy that you don’t want to complete a free photo shoot. What do people consult a PROFESSIONAL photographer for anyways? (Smile begins to return)

Charge as follows…I’m not asking….rather telling:

Take into consideration:

-Talent. Whichin hard work beats talent if talent doesn’t work hard. Bring them both to the table.

- Travel costs and gas mileage (also expect the unexpected aka flat tire).

- Equipment and studio supplies which include lighting , props, backdrops, last minute additions.

-Shoot duration and intensity.

- Correspondence(GRR!!! be ready for a pleasant war of words), editing, and the headaches associated with it. (Advil present)

-Delivery, packaging.

-Rights.

-Location fees (some locales charge for the utilization of their ambience).

-Helping hands associated with the projects need to be compensated. This affects future relations so make their time worthwhile. If you look at things on a much larger scale and desire to actually. blossom your operation into a force to be reckoned with then take pride in your first few employees. Treat others how you wish to be treated and you’ll expand tenfold. It’s simple doctrine.

Examine the prior guidelines and recall everything with clarity as you discuss photo shoot plans with a potential client. Every aspect should be accounted for. Attention to detail is highly important.  Pitch an unforgettable experience to all clients regardless of genre. Your pricing should be received with warmth. If all fails, then it’s back to the drawing board. What one client doesn’t do, someone else will. Stay stagnant in your approach.