Color Gelequipment
A colored translucent sheet over a light — for correcting color or adding creative color to a scene.
Gels do two jobs. Correction gels (like CTO/CTB) match a flash to ambient light — e.g. an orange CTO makes flash blend with warm indoor bulbs. Creative gels add bold color (a blue or magenta rim, a colored background) for a stylized look. Combine a gelled background light with a neutral key for a striking, modern portrait.
Use this when
- Match flash to room light: CTO gel + matching WB
- Creative color: gel a background or rim light
Common mistake: Gelling the key light and forgetting to fix white balance, so everything turns that color.