Photography Lighting Gels and Diffusion Lighting

Lighting Gels and Diffusion

Lighting gels and diffusion can help kick your photography up to a new level. Vibrant red, green, and blue shades will catch the eye and set your photos apart. The right gel or light diffuser can soften a flash and take the edge off harsh shadows, lending extra nuance and depth to your pictures.

Color correction filters and gels can help you add a specific aesthetic to your images, as if you took the photo at a different time of day or in entirely different lighting conditions. The right color correction filters can also help offset the color temperatures of specific light types.

Color effects filters and gels

Dramatic magentas, warm inviting yellows, striking greens, and many more colors can all give your photos and videos a unique and specific look, taking your images above and beyond the ordinary. It's possible to visually separate your subject by creating a colorful background light, add a striking contrast to dramatic headshots, and more.

Color correction filters and gels

Color correction lighting gels and filters typically tend to have a more subtle effect on the image. For instance, you could make a photo taken in the afternoon look like it was taken at sunset, or a photo taken in the studio look like it was taken outside on a moonlit night.

Color correction filters can also correct for the inherent color temperature of a specific type of light or flash, making them look more like daylight or even a different kind of light. That's ideal if the lights and flashes that you own don't give you the results you need. The most common filters are CTB and CTO, which stand for Color Temperature Blue and Color Temperature Orange. They give images cooler and warmer looks, respectively.

Light diffusers and diffusion material

You can take the sharp edge off shadows and create a softer light on your subjects with a diffuser on your lights or flash. The better light diffusers pass through as much light as possible, while still casting a wide and dispersed light.

Frames and holders

Technically, you could attach most gels to most lights with a pair of alligator clips, but there are better ways to handle the situation. There are specific mounts for specific light types, universal mounts, and fully collapsible frames that let you filter light from large light sources. It's far easier and efficient in the long run to have an organized studio or kit, and it allows you far more versatility in your images. Add effects to your images with gels, filters and diffusers from brands like Flashpoint, Lee, Rosco and more.