DIY Photography Gels

Photography gels are precisely colored acetate sheets (overhead transparencies) used to alter the color of lights. There are different reasons for doing this, including for aesthetic effects and contrast reasons. Professional sets can cost a fortune, these cost me $14.25 (not including the transparencies, which I already had), and are great for any amateur photographer!

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Step 1: Making Them

I went online and found the standard color values for a set of gels. Using these, I made an 8x10in jpg file for each color. Attached is a zipped file containing all 27 images that you can burn onto a CD.

Once this is done, take the CD and a pack of acetate sheets to Kinkos, or a similar printing venue. Kinkos only charged me $0.49 a print.

Easy as that.

Gels.zip178 KB

speckels33 says: Dec 9, 2011. 10:54 AM

Could you use these to project images for stage lighting? I am looking into using these for stage lighting at my church and was wondering I could use them like GOBOS

genericcomment says: Oct 7, 2011. 8:20 AM

Lighting gel used in theatre and film will run 5-6 US dollars depending on the supply house. The color media is 20in x 24in and more heat resistant than overhead transparencies.
www.bmisupply.com

CB2001 says: Feb 21, 2011. 4:01 AM

Out of curiousity, is the $.49 just for the printing in color, or does that include the pricing of the acetate sheets? I ask because when I went to Kinkos and asked about how much it cost to print transparencies (which I'm assuming is the acetate sheets) in color, the guy told me it was $1.99 per sheet.

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to CB2001Feb 21, 2011. 8:53 AM

I brought my own transparencies, so it's just the printing.

CB2001 in reply to WeissensteinburgFeb 22, 2011. 6:38 AM

BTW, has anyone tried out the Fellowes Crystals clear plastic binding covers for their DIY Gels? I ask because everywhere I've gone to that has acetate sheets (transparencies for projectors) have ranged up into the $35+ range for the cost for 50 of them, and I found one store that has the Fellows Crystals Binding covers (basically the professional grade plastic covers that requires the machine to bind a stack of papers by using a plastic spine) for only $13.99 for a pack of 25. I'm asking because I don't know if they are good enough to withstand the printing process. The only cheap transparencies (other than the Fellows product) are for the ones you write on (and I don't know if those can stand the printing process at Kinkos.

arpruss in reply to CB2001Sep 7, 2011. 11:53 AM

I would worry that something not designed for printing might melt inside a laser printer. Kinkos wouldn't be happy.

CB2001 in reply to arprussSep 7, 2011. 2:24 PM

Thanks for the input, but I decided to go with inkjet transparencies I picked up at a Goodwill for $5 (comes with 50 sheets).

CB2001 in reply to WeissensteinburgFeb 21, 2011. 2:36 PM

Thank you. I was wondering about that, so at least now I know the difference. :D

kupua says: Jun 13, 2011. 2:34 PM

Why are some of the colors appear different? Example the Blue N+1 appear like Magenta and the Green N+3 appear to be turquoise? Also where are the yellows?

ctr7510 says: Jun 29, 2010. 8:55 AM

Why are the files named with and "N"? Just curious.

gnach says: Jun 28, 2010. 11:09 AM

Just want to ditto photoman22. The colored report covers are cheap. Stacke 'em up for intensity. Thanks for zip file, I'll give 'em a go. BTW, I tried the request for the free swatch book from Roscoe but they were overwhelmed once it was mentioned on the Strobist blog. B&H has the best price

pork_belly108 says: Oct 4, 2009. 8:44 PM

COOL, I needed them for night vision stuff

LinuxH4x0r says: Feb 2, 2008. 4:59 PM

Awesome. Now I just need to learn how to use them...

jakjak9210 in reply to LinuxH4x0rAug 10, 2009. 4:47 AM

learn it all here!
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html
just make sure that you have lots of time on your hands, that site eats into your sleep time :D

chrisrioux says: Aug 4, 2009. 9:48 PM

Sweet! Great idea! Have they melted at all under the heat of the modeling lights?

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to chrisriouxAug 4, 2009. 9:52 PM

I mostly use them on my speedlights, so they haven't spent too much time in front of a modeling light. The transparencies are used commonly on overhead projectors, though, so I'm sure they'd hold up pretty well.

photoman022 says: Jul 30, 2009. 8:20 PM

Instead of buying gels, I went to Office Depot and bought a package of colored acetate report covers. I cut the covers in half and have two sets of "gels" that work great.

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to photoman022Jul 30, 2009. 8:22 PM

That's a great idea!

Garvitron says: May 24, 2009. 9:52 AM

You can buy a gel sample pack from Roscolux for about $2. Here is the B&H link:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/45189-REG/Rosco_950SBLUX0103_Roscolux_Swatchbook.html

marc92 in reply to GarvitronMay 26, 2009. 7:15 PM

If you contact a production company (in the Northeast, APLS or ECLPS) they will send you one for free.

AndyBhoy says: Apr 19, 2009. 10:00 AM

Hi thanks for the idea. Here's a shot I took.

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to AndyBhoyApr 19, 2009. 10:25 AM

That looks great!

AndyBhoy in reply to WeissensteinburgApr 25, 2009. 3:32 PM

Thanks again - I had flash on floor behind me with red gel , flash on keyboard bounced off white paper on screen, and third flash with a home made snoot pointing to Apple logo - I made three A4 pages and got 27 gels for $4.50 Cdn.

kencaruthers says: Apr 5, 2009. 12:28 AM

Could you explain the printing of the these a bit more? What did you tell him to print?

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to kencaruthersApr 11, 2009. 4:21 PM

I simply brought the files in and told them that I wanted each one printed on a transparency.

pepper1965 says: Mar 22, 2009. 6:10 AM

Thanks alot , im gonna give this a whirl tommorow....cheerz

X-mind says: Sep 3, 2008. 2:19 AM

this means I can use it in the IR goggles.

Rue says: Jul 16, 2008. 9:47 AM

I wasnt able to download your gel file, but I did figure out that I can do it directly in photoshop for any colors that I want (VERY large variety) and then have them printed... thank you for the information!!!!

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to RueJul 16, 2008. 10:52 AM

Your welcome! I'm glad you're making good use of it.

Kier in reply to WeissensteinburgAug 11, 2008. 2:33 PM

This is pretty neat. Though, I do have a question concerning the type of transparencies used. Do you use the copier transparencies or the inkjet transparencies?

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to KierAug 12, 2008. 7:16 AM

I honestly have no idea. The pack that I used happened to be free for me from school, and it was a very generic pack...wrapped in shrink wrap with a stick that had a bar code and said "Transparencies" or something like that. Sorry.

fcwong says: Apr 7, 2008. 6:45 PM

Cool. Downloaded your color file and have the transparencies printed at Staples for $.48 each. Taken a few shots and they work great. See a couple of the pictures attached. Thx.

Weissensteinburg (author) in reply to fcwongApr 7, 2008. 6:49 PM

Cool, I'm glad you liked them! That shell turned out especially well.

marc92 says: Feb 2, 2008. 6:52 PM

For a free and usable size sample of many colors of these gels you can contact this company: http://www.leefilters.com/lighting/contact
Just enter your shipping information and select "Designers Edition Swatch Book"
They will send you a swatchbook of all colors of gels for FREE!
(Note: The site is in British English so for Americans, Postcode means zipcode)
Good day chaps!