One of the most fun things to play with while exploring your of camera flash photography is changing or controlling the color your hot shoe flash creates.The gadget that will give you that control will be a professional colored gels pack.That fact is that those gels (professional gels) cost a little to much in my opinion.They give some great advantages as longer durability (if you those gels for studio lighting you’ll find out that the flash head might melt the plastic gel) and more accurate and defined color name (can be described by Converting 5500K to 2900K,WOW!).But you can get a pack of 6 or more colored gels that will give you endless options.
This is what you need:
- A marker pen.
- Good pair of scissors (not those in the picture bellow,you should have a better one).
- Flash diffuser (got this one to get the exact measure of the flash,but can measure you flash width and that will do).
- 1$ Office Depot 12 tab divider (it has to sets of six different colored dividers).
Open the pack and thats what you’ll get.
From this point you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what to do,but what the heck I’ll write it down.
Mark on the dividers pack the height of your flash head.I’m lazy some times so I used the hot shoe flash diffuser to mark it height,but you don’t have to do it with the diffuser,just measure it and mark it.Generally it will be stripes 4cm-5cm height.
This is what you get after cutting the stripes.I cut it twice and got 24 stripes what means 6 sets of 4 stripes with the same color.
Just testing it with a yellow gel.
Tips for using those colored gel stripes:
- Simply attach them to you hot shoe flash head with a rubber band if you don’t have a more professional strap.
- To control the color you could explore the differences while shooting with 2 or more stripes of the same color or different colors.
- Explore the color differences just by adjust the power of you flash.
Got any other ideas,share with as.
PLEASE COMMENT BELLOW!!!
Easy And Cheap DIY Colored Gel For Hot Shoe Flash For Only 1.49$!!!,
Althought it doesn’t looks the most accurate colors as in the strobist packagese, it does let you some fun for beggining.
THNX for the idea.
You are welcome.
Many have this plastic usles at home, so they can always try it…
I love this. I actually bought the more expensive professional gels and am now kicking myself for having done so.
Also a really good idea to get a broader range of colours by using 2 or more stripes of different colours. I’m definitely going to be giving these a try. Thanks for a great tip.
Hi Jerry, I think the Diy I did here are just for starting playing with the colored gel effects, after getting the idea, go and buy a nice set!
If you liked this piece, I’d be happy if you share it with your readers too.
TNX!