Using gels with flash

Natasha J Bella gives a masterclass in gel lighting for colourful portraits

- Natasha J Bella

THE MISSION

Use colour gels on studio lights for vibrant portraits

Time needed One hour

Skill level Intermediate

Kit needed • 3x flashes • 3x silver umbrellas • Colour gels

Adding colour with gels is a great way to bring some extra flair to portraits. Gels are pieces of coloured plastic that you can place over your light source to change the colour of the light. They come in different shapes and sizes and can also be cut to size. You will see the effects of gels being used regularly in movies, theatre, TV and photography for colour correcting, to emphasize a particular mood, or enhance the scene. In portraiture, you can use acetate gels to change the colour of the backdrop giving you a wide choice of background colours; and you can also light your subject with them for creative and dramatic effects. Gels come in many colours so that you can find the perfect combination.

You could go for vibrant, punchy colours or subtle pastel shades. Looking at a colour wheel is a quick way to help you choose complimentary colours. Let's get creative and have fun with it!

THE SET UP ADD COLOUR WITH FLASH GELS

Discover the core kit to achieve vibrant portraits with a variety of colourful lights

01 FLASH GELS

Attach your gels to your lighting. Your gels must cover the light entirely without any light spill. It's best to use gaffer tape as it's easy to remove. Avoid other tapes as the glue can get overly tacky and messy. Bulldog clips are also a good option.

02 SILVER UMBRELLA

Umbrellas are great modifiers for portrait photography. They are economical and compact, making them easy to travel with and use on location. For this photo shoot, I used three reflective umbrellas to light the model for our portrait on the right.