Gel filter colors on black background - a short writeup

I did some quick tests with gel colors on a black background. I've read posts where people ask which background color to use to project gel colors onto. And I've read posts where people asked to see some samples. Here is my very simple rendition.
I hope this might be helpful for others. Images are clickable for a larger version. Sorry I didn't even have a more attractive test subject. Heck, I couldn't even find a teddy bear.

My setup is this:
5d Mark II full RAW.
70-200 2.8 IS @ 135mm
Genesis 200 2 light kit (1 with umbrella, 1 on floor with gel - directly behind the 'subject')

I set both strobes at 30 out of a range of 10-60. (of which I've read 30 is about 1/8 power for these Genesis 200 w/s, but I'm not exactly sure)

Flash sync speed at 1/200
Manual mode 1/200 @ f/5.6

12 ft between camera and subject
6 ft between subject & black sheet

Lee Filters Quick Location Lighting Pack (includes 24 gels, I only used 5 of them for this setup)

It's possible to get these colors to be more bright or less bright by adjusting the power of the strobes.

The filters:

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thanks for the samples never thought of putting gels on a black background.

Oh i forgot to mention - you don't always get a consistent color when doing this. Variables can be the reflector on your light, amount of ripples in the sheet, distance from light to sheet, angle between light and sheet, etc ...

You can get much deeper colors by making sure that the background is not affected by spill from the subject lighting. When I gel black paper for the deep colors, I make sure that the subject is at least 15' in front of the background and the subject lights are very close to the subject (to reduce the depth of the light).

Oooh, thanks for the info (both Crossmax and Player9)

Crossmax03. How did you mount the gels in front of your strobe on the floor? The picture doesn't seem to show any gel in front of it.

i bent a wire coat hanger around the reflector on the strobe in a way that i could put it on and off easily. To hold the gel I put tape on the jaws of a small binder clip (so as not to tear the gel) and then just hang it on the wire hanger. It's cheap and not perfect but I didn't feel like spending money on something I don't use that often.


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thanks i have the same setup in lights this helps a lot

Crafty!!! Nicely done!

crossmax03 wrote in post #9250190
i bent a wire coat hanger around the reflector on the strobe in a way that i could put it on and off easily. To hold the gel I put tape on the jaws of a small binder clip (so as not to tear the gel) and then just hang it on the wire hanger. It's cheap and not perfect but I didn't feel like spending money on something I don't use that often.

This pic is clickable for 1600x1143 resolution.

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Can anyone recommend an inexpensive gel pack with some nice colors?

OP> how much did that one cost and where did you buy it? Also how large are those?

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Effects_Rainbow​_Pack.html

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ects_Filter_Lig​hting.html

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ting_Filter.htm​l#features

Additionally, a good way to protect your filters is to keep them in a case designed to protect 12x12 scrapbooking paper.

Such as this one...
http://www.joann.com …flag=true&PRODI​D=prd44037

The pack I got is the Lee Quick Location Lighting Pack, there are 24 filters, 12"x12"

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tion_Lighting_F​ilter.html

Thanks for the replies folks!

I wonder if this gel holder would work. It looks like it mounts on a light stand so I don't know if it would work on the floor but it might be a step up from a coat hanger

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ersal_Filter_Ho​lder_.html

thanks for the write-up!

benjamin