Lighting question?

[tirediron]

I'm in home building and I'm sure we all prefer that I research how to accomplish tasks instead of taking a chance on your structure with a "whatever, I'm a pro" attitude.

Speak for yourself. I wouldn't hire anyone who had to ask for instructions first.

Geezzzz lighten up there Mr. Grumpy-Pants! I've been shooting for quite a few years, and like to think that I'm reasonably handy with a camera and light, but when I come up against a new situation, or something I've not done before, I will almost certainly have a plan in mind, but I'll also damn sure ask some others who might have done something similar for their thoughts.

 

[KmH]

When I read gelled, I am thinking of a colored gel. Can you please expand on what this means? Thanks

Strobe lights (flash) have a color temperature that is about the same as sunlight.

When ambient light in a strobed light scene is not suppressed by using a faster shutter speed, differing light source color temperatures for flash and ambient light (mixed lighting) can conflict causing nearly un-fixable color casts.
Gelling the flash unit to match the color temperature of the ambient light source eliminates any light source color temperature conflicts. One should be sure and set the camera's white balance for the color temperature of the light used, use a gray card, and/or set a custom white balance.

For color correction use, gels have a Kelvin° color temperature specification. For example, to match the ambient light when using strobed light, one would use a sunlight-to-tungsten or a sunlight-to-flourescent gel.

A sunlight to tungsten gel would be orangeish in color, and is known as a CTO gel. To go the other way, tungsten to sunlight, you use a bluish gel known as a CTB gel.

Light Controls - Gels, an Introduction...

 

[Derrel]

YEARS ago I shot a few Christmas lights shots using the very tres chic cross-star filter...surely you remember those (along with M.C. Hammer pants, Pat Benatar, Survivor, Ronald Reagan as President, when MTV played MUSIC videos,etc,etc). Other devices that can create a diffused effect and cross-stars are things like window screen material held in front of the lens. Shooting at a small f/stop like f/16 or f/22 or f/32 is going to make the Christmas tree lights appear pretty weak in terms of color, but it can create "starburst effects". IF that is the desired effect, I think a cross-star filter might be another way to get a similar, yet different, effect reasonably easily.

 

[unpopular]

Umm...sorry, but it can be a function of the camera, and or the lens, or the lens/camera pairing

misread your OP and the point you were making. i tried to go back and correct, but unfortunately you already responded.

 

[MOREGONE]

When I read gelled, I am thinking of a colored gel. Can you please expand on what this means? Thanks

Strobe lights (flash) have a color temperature that is about the same as sunlight.

When ambient light in a strobed light scene is not suppressed by using a faster shutter speed, differing light source color temperatures for flash and ambient light (mixed lighting) can conflict causing nearly un-fixable color casts.
Gelling the flash unit to match the color temperature of the ambient light source eliminates any light source color temperature conflicts. One should be sure and set the camera's white balance for the color temperature of the light used, use a gray card, and/or set a custom white balance.

For color correction use, gels have a Kelvin° color temperature specification. For example, to match the ambient light when using strobed light, one would use a sunlight-to-tungsten or a sunlight-to-flourescent gel.

A sunlight to tungsten gel would be orangeish in color, and is known as a CTO gel. To go the other way, tungsten to sunlight, you use a bluish gel known as a CTB gel.

Light Controls - Gels, an Introduction...

Thanks. Up until I read your response, I took gels to be something that added an effect. I have a better understanding of their use to create better images, not just creative ones. Thank you.

 

[MK3Brent]

When I read gelled, I am thinking of a colored gel. Can you please expand on what this means? Thanks

Strobe lights (flash) have a color temperature that is about the same as sunlight.

When ambient light in a strobed light scene is not suppressed by using a faster shutter speed, differing light source color temperatures for flash and ambient light (mixed lighting) can conflict causing nearly un-fixable color casts.
Gelling the flash unit to match the color temperature of the ambient light source eliminates any light source color temperature conflicts. One should be sure and set the camera's white balance for the color temperature of the light used, use a gray card, and/or set a custom white balance.

For color correction use, gels have a Kelvin° color temperature specification. For example, to match the ambient light when using strobed light, one would use a sunlight-to-tungsten or a sunlight-to-flourescent gel.

A sunlight to tungsten gel would be orangeish in color, and is known as a CTO gel. To go the other way, tungsten to sunlight, you use a bluish gel known as a CTB gel.

Light Controls - Gels, an Introduction...

Thanks. Up until I read your response, I took gels to be something that added an effect. I have a better understanding of their use to create better images, not just creative ones. Thank you.

Watch some videos from Joe McNally for some examples of WB effects with OCF and gels:

Joe McNally - Control of Color (1/2) - YouTube

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Why do you come into a thread and then insult the OP and add virtually nothing but an unnecessary fight?

Next time just leave the thread alone. I mean does no one remember the golden rule?

You know what, you are completely right. I was wrong to post what I did. I apologize to everyone and especially to Kathy for my rude behavior.