Summer is almost here and we’re getting excited. It’s the time many of our friends and colleagues start those creative projects they’ve been dreaming about all winter. Our photographer and lighting designer friends are always experimenting to see what they can come up with. Each new project teaches us something new.
We even did a little remodeling with gel. The options are endless.Lighting gel is one of the most economical ways to make a big impact in theatre, film or photography. While there are nuances to each, there are some striking similarities in how gel is used. Theatrical lighting gel changes the color of a light source and can influence the tone of a presentation. The same principle applies when adjusting lighting fixtures for film, taking an existing room and getting the light sources to produce an even or specifically uneven light for capture on film. Photographers often make use of gel to color correct or provide color effects when spending a lot of time in postproduction on the computer or in the darkroom tweaking the files or the negatives is not a desirable option.
With theatrical lighting gel, a plain white background can become a canvas of color to allow the subject to stand out or fit in depending on the color combinations used. We’ve found a great example:
CC by 2.0, Photo by DIYPhotography.net
The subject and backgrounds haven’t changed. By adding theatrical lighting gel to strategic light sources, the effects produced change dramatically. While color is often subjective, note the very slight differences shown between Cerulean Blue and Full CTB, finding the color you need isn’t very difficult.
We offer gel swatch books to make choosing your colors easy. Just order one or all five, and soon you’ll have actual small samples of the same product you can order in full size 20in x 24in sheets. These samples are all marked with their name, number, manufacturer, and some light transmission data.
Gel is available in sheets (about 20” x 24” or 21” x 24” depending on manufacturer), rolls (we’re talking a very large amount of gel here, something along the lines of 25’ of gel), tubes for slipping over existing fluorescent lighting tubes, and swatch books. There is an incredible amount of variety in color available for just about any purpose from lighting a bridge up orange for safety week, to toning down hall lights outside a bedroom, to making the web conference room show people off as they are instead of appearing a bit too green on the other side of the camera. If you can dream it, color gel can help make it happen.
As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact StageSpot! If you’re still feeling a bit blue about the overwhelming choice of color, we have some handy resources here to help you.
